Fans of Beauty and the Beast will be ecstatic with the news that a few new lyrics from writer Howard Ashman will debut in the live-action film starring Emma Watson this March. Entertainment Weekly has confirmed the project has uncovered work from the late lyricist which never made it into the original animated film.
Composer Alan Menken, who worked on 1991’s animated film, stated the lyrics would be found in “Gaston.”
“In ‘Gaston,’ we had a treasure trove of lyrics that Howard had written that we did not put in the movie,” Menken explained. “In many cases they were a little bit risqué — not risqué sexually, but risqué in terms of sensibility. We all felt ready to have these lyrics. When Bill found out about those lyrics, he said, ‘Oh my god, can we please look at that, because it would be a wonderful way to add an extra freshness to the movie.’ So, yes, you’re going to hear some unheard Howard Ashman lyrics.
