Emma Watson's Singing Belle Debuts in New 'Beauty and the Beast' Clip
by EG
Ever since Emma Watson was cast as Belle in the upcoming live-action remake of Disney's Beauty and the Beast, fans have been clamoring to get every glimpse they can of the actress in the role. Of greatest fascination are the film's musical numbers. Will Watson be able to sing the beloved songs as wonderfully as everyone hopes?
This week Disney released a clip of the movie's opening number, which offers nearly a full minute of musical footage to tide fans over until they can see the whole thing next month.
In the number, "Bonjour," Belle strolls through her small village, lamenting the sleepiness of her daily life while the villagers sing praises of the young woman's quirky beauty.
The number is a virtual note-for-note copy of the same sequence from the original animated version of the movie. It is so close to the original, in fact, that commentators have been forced to point out the addition of a reference to Romeo and Juliet as one tiny alteration.
Although it lacks the exuberance of the original, Watson's performance is solid, and fan reaction to it has been, so far, almost universally positive.
Beauty and the Beast is set to hit theaters on March 17, 2017.