'Beauty and the Beast' opens simultaneously in China and US

A poster for "Beauty and the Beast." [Photo: He-nan.com]

The wait is finally over for fans looking to relive the romance of "Beauty and the Beast." Disney's live action reboot of the classic tale has already opened in many parts of the world and is opening simultaneously today in China and the United States.

The story of "Beauty and the Beast" dates back all the way to 1740, when it was first published by French writer Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve. The film expands on the original story and centers around a prince who is imprisoned and under a spell as a beast. His only hope is to be freed by true love. A girl named Belle enters his castle and becomes his savior.

The movie stars British pair Emma Watson and Dan Stevens, who is best known for having played Matthew Crawley in Downton Abbey. While promoting the film recently, Emma Watson talked about what the story means to her.

"I think that, that don't judge a book by its cover, look beyond the superficial. And I think it also celebrates the idea that love takes on this almost soul connection, the spiritual connection, this bigger connection. As you say, we need to be reminded of that now more than ever," said Watson. 

Disney's animation of the story in 1991 was a worldwide hit, featuring an Oscar- and Grammy-winning original song of the same title by Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson. The song has been covered by John Legend and Ariana Grande ahead of the release of the new film, and a Chinese version has also been preformed by Tian Fuzhen and Jing Boran. Celine Dion has been asked to perform a new song for the latest release, titled "How Does A Moment Last Forever."

The soundtrack of the new "Beauty and the Beast" is now also available.