Ian McKellen has joined the cast of Disney’s live action version of the Oscar-winning 1991 animation Beauty and the Beast.
The actor will be taking on the role of Cogsworth, the prince’s butler who is transformed into a clock, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
McKellen will join a cast that includes Emma Watson as Belle, Dan Stevens as the Beast/Prince, Luke Evans as Gaston, Josh Gad as Le Fou and Audra McDonald as Garderobe.
Other members of the voice cast have yet to be confirmed but Emma Thompson is rumoured to be playing Mrs Potts, originally voiced by Angela Lansbury in the original. Kevin Kine has also been reportedly cast as Belle’s father.
The film is set to be directed by Bill Condon, who previously worked with Ian McKellen in Gods and Monsters and the upcoming Mr Holmes, where he plays an older version of Sherlock Holmes.
McKellen will also next be seen in the TV movie The Dresser, alongside Anthony Hopkins.
Beauty and the Beast follows a trend of live action Disney remakes with Alice in Wonderland, Maleficent and this year’s Cinderella all proving to be hugely successful. Disney has also announced upcoming remakes for Dumbo, Mulan, Pinocchio and The Little Mermaid.
