We live in a world where movies often reference or at least nod at other popular films and franchises. Which is why it wasn't a huge surprise to hear rumors that Beauty and The Beast, a film starring former Harry Potter franchise actress Emma Watson, might be nodding at the world of witches and wizards that made Emma Watson a household name. Unfortunately, the hopes that Harry Potter and Beauty and the Beast might align for one magical moment have now been dashed, thanks to Beast Director Bill Condon. Here's what happened.
A short while ago, we learned there was a line in Beauty and the Beast that came from Monsieur Jean, who talks about having a problem, but one he "can't remember what!" When fans of Harry Potter heard the line in the "Belle" clip, they instantly equated it to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, which features a scene where Neville Longbottom talks about a remembrall, noting the only issue with the device is that he "can't remember what [he's] forgotten." Unfortunately, Bill Condon says the coincidence in the dialogue is just that--coincidence.
I saw those rumors. It wasn't intentional. It really is just -- at the beginning of the movie [The Enchantress] is narrating and she says, 'They were forgotten by the world and all the people who love them.' That's just an example that pays off later. You always get the sense that [Potts] has forgotten something, but it's something else he's forgotten. So no.
The whole connection between the Disney movie and the Warner Bros. franchise was always a little bit thin, but I think there's a feeling that fans would love to see Beauty and the Beast connect with Harry Potter, so it's no wonder Bill Condon is getting asked about the similar quotes. He told Metro that we should look out for easter eggs when watching the movie, although in this case they will be more related to musicals like Cabaret than other film franchises.
There's Cabaret, there's Chicago, there's Martha Graham, there's Bollywood, Singing In The Rain, Esther Williams, Busby Berkeley and West Side Story.
The moral of the story--do keep your eyes peeled for fun pop culture references when Beauty and the Beast hits theaters, but don't expect them to relate to Emma Watson's days on the set of Harry Potter. Beauty and the Beast hits theaters on March 17. To take a look at what else is hitting theaters soon, keep an eye on our movies release schedule.
