Photo: Walt Disney Pictures/courtesy Everett Collection

Animation and live-action will come together this winter to tell the ‘tale as old as time’ story ofBeauty and the Beastin ABC’s forthcomingBeauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration, which marks three decades since the beloved animated classic received a history-making Academy Award Best Picture nomination.
“Stacked with unforgettable performances, this will be a must-see special event for fans of the original and for the new generation being introduced to this cherished tale,” ABC Entertainment President Craig Erwich toldThe Hollywood Reporter.
Alan Menken won the 1992 Best Original Score Oscar for his work on the film, and he shared the Best Original Song statuette with Howard Ashman for the title tune. That theme and more hits from the soundtrack will be performed anew in front of a live studio audience at Disney Studios during December’s special.
Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images.

Crazy Rich AsiansdirectorJon M. Chuwill executive produce, andSuper Bowl Halftime Showdirector Hamish Hamilton will call the shots.
“Beauty and the Beastwas always a game-changing cinematic experience for me,” Chu toldTHR.“When the animated movie came out, I watched it multiple times in the first weekend.”
He continued, “It showed me the outer limits of what animated artists and storytellers could achieve. So the fact that I get to executive produce a tribute to all the creatives that made this masterpiece through our Electric Somewhere company is a dream I didn’t even think was possible.”
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
The two-hour live-action and animated special will air Dec. 15 on ABC and will be available to stream on Disney+ the next day.
source: people.com