Luke Evans Sends Regrets for 'Beauty and the Beast' Prequel Delay

The Luke Evans-helmed "Beauty and the Beast" prequel from Disney has been put on hold, the Hollywood Reporter said.

"Disney+ has put its musical prequel spinoff from its 2017 feature film on hold amid delays with creative elements and scheduling challenges with its cast. Sources close to the streamer say the show will eventually be made though it's unclear if the cast, including film stars Josh Gad and Luke Evans, will be available when (and if) that comes to pass."

The news came shortly after Evans posted a black-and-white thirst trap from Colombia, where he is filming the upcoming Apple TV+ series "Echo 3."

After the news broke, he tweeted his regret.

Gad replied, "Maybe I'll come out to Columbia and we can drink together and just shoot footage of us drunk in Bogotá singing Alan Menken's new songs."

THR reported in March 2020 that the six-episode series would feature Gad and Evans reprising their roles as LeFou and Gaston, respectively, in an origin story for the beloved characters. Shooting was to begin this summer, but, Deadline said: "According to sources, the call not to proceed with the show was made for creative reasons, with the scripts and original music not coming together in the direction expected or running behind schedule. With a number of creative elements up in the air and the shoot's start already pushed from early spring to summer, a decision was made to put the project on hold. Pushing filming further into the fall was not an option because of talent availability and weather concerns, sources said."

The news came days after it was announced that British singer/actress Rita Ora had joined the series. "Her character was only described as a 'fugitive with surprising abilities who carries with her a secret that could potentially affect an entire kingdom,'" according to Vulture. "Well, it must've been a damn good secret because now we shall never know."

Vulture added: "The show was going to center Gaston and LeFou, played by Luke Evans and Josh Gad, and, surprise, more secrets, which must've included the plot due to not much information being shared."

"Beauty and the Beast" was developed and written by Gad and "Once Upon a Time" creators Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz, with the trio serving as executive producers/co-showrunners. Evans was also going to be credited as an executive producer.

Check out some more pics from Evans' Instagram: