Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures is scheduling special opening night events for Beauty and the Beast fans on Thursday, March 16 at approximately 590 locations nationwide. The events, which are taking place ahead of the 7:00pm showings at theaters with IMAX, Dolby Cinema® and other select premium large formats, will give fans the opportunity to be among the first to experience the highly-anticipated live-action film and will include special behind-the-scenes on-screen content and the only opportunity for in-theatre audiences to see Ariana Grande and John Legend's music video for their Beauty and the Beast duet.

Theaters from AMC, Regal, Cinemark, Marcus and Wehrenberg are participating, as is the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, and each theatre circuit will be offering special concession stand promotions and commemorative give-away's celebrating the film and the event. Tickets for the Beauty and the Beast opening night fan events are on sale now and available through BeOurGuest.com/Fan-Events. For more information, visit www.BeOurGuest.com. This live-action adaptation of Beauty and the Beast will be released in U.S. theaters on March 17, 2017

The story and characters audiences know and love come to spectacular life in the live-action adaptation of Disney's animated classic Beauty and the Beast, a stunning, cinematic event celebrating one of the most beloved tales ever told. Beauty and the Beast is the fantastic journey of Belle, a bright, beautiful and independent young woman who is taken prisoner by a Beast in his castle. Despite her fears, she befriends the castle's enchanted staff and learns to look beyond the Beast's hideous exterior and realize the kind heart of the true Prince within.

The film stars Emma Watson as Belle, Dan Stevens as the Beast, Luke Evans as Gaston, the handsome, but shallow villager who woos Belle, Kevin Kline as Maurice, Belle's father, Josh Gad as LeFou, Gaston's long-suffering aide-de-camp, Ewan McGregor as Lumière, the candelabra, Stanley Tucci as Maestro Cadenza, the harpsichord, Audra McDonald as Madame de Garderobe, the wardrobe, Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Plumette, the feather duster, Hattie Morahan as the enchantress and Nathan Mack as Chip, the teacup. The cast is rounded out by Ian McKellen as Cogsworth, the mantel clock and Emma Thompson as the teapot, Mrs. Potts.

Directed by Bill Condon based on the 1991 animated film Beauty and the Beast, the screenplay is written by Stephen Chbosky and Evan Spiliotopoulos and produced by Mandeville Films' David Hoberman, p.g.a. and Todd Lieberman, p.g.a. with Jeffrey Silver, Thomas Schumacher and Don Hahn serving as executive producers. Eight-time Oscar-winning composer Alan Menken, who won two Academy Awards (Best Original Score and Best Song) for the 1991 animated film, is returning to score the movie. Beauty and the Beast will also feature new recordings of the original songs written by Menken and Howard Ashman, as well as several new songs written by Menken and three-time Oscar winner Tim Rice.