Bill Condon to Direct Live-Action Beauty and the Beast

[SzczerbiakManiac]

from The Hollywood Reporter

Twilight helmer Bill Condon has signed on to direct Disney's live-action Beauty and the Beast film.

The news comes on the heels of Disney's latest live-action success, Maleficent, which hit theaters May 28. The film, starring Angelina Jolie, topped the box office its opening weekend, earning north of $170 million worldwide.

Disney also released the live-action Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland films to much success, and currently has a live-action Cinderella film coming up in 2015 as well as a Jungle Book film in development.

The animated Beauty and the Beast film opened in theaters in 1991, and went on to earn $425 million worldwide.

Condon, whose name had been circling the Beauty and the Beast project for several months, directed Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 and The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2, and most recently helmed The Fifth Estate.

Condon's musical chops were proven with the 2006 hit Dreamgirls, based on the Broadway musical. He's repped by WME, Anonymous Content and Alexander, Lawrence.