“HOWARD”, AN ORIGINAL DOCUMENTARY FILM CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF ACADEMY AWARD®-WINNING LYRICIST HOWARD ASHMAN, PREMIERES AUGUST 7 ON DISNEY+

“HOWARD”, AN ORIGINAL DOCUMENTARY FILM CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF ACADEMY AWARD®-WINNING LYRICIST HOWARD ASHMAN, PREMIERES AUGUST 7 ON DISNEY+

Acclaimed Filmmaker Don Hahn Directs Feature-Length Documentary

BURBANK, Calif. (July 16, 2020) Disney+ announced today that the original documentary film “Howard” will premiere exclusively on the service on Friday, August 7, 2020. The film, which first premiered at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival, follows the captivating life story of Disney Legend and Academy Award®-winning Lyricist Howard Ashman.

Directed by Don Hahn (“Beauty and the Beast”), “Howard” is the untold story of Howard Ashman, the brilliant lyricist behind Disney classics like “Aladdin,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Little Mermaid” and creator of musicals including “Little Shop of Horrors.” Featuring never-before-seen archival footage, personal films and photographs, as well as interviews with Howard’s friends and family, the film is an intimate look at the Disney Legend’s life, his creative drive, and the process behind the music. Spanning his childhood in Baltimore, to his formative years in New York, and his untimely death from AIDS, “Howard” goes in-depth to explore his journey to become the lyricist behind some of the most beloved and well-known classic family films in the world. 

“You may not know his name, but you sure know Howard Ashman’s music,” said Director, Writer and Producer Don Hahn. “He’s one of the greatest storytellers of the twentieth century who helped to revitalize the American musical and re-energize Disney Animation. He left us a songbook that still lives on in us today, yet his personal story has never been fully told until now.”

The film features interviews with Ashman’s longtime musical collaborator Alan Menken, who also scored the film, Bill Lauch (Ashman’s Partner), Jodi Benson (“The Little Mermaid”), Paige O’Hara (“Beauty and the Beast”), Sarah Gillespie (Ashman’s Sister), and more. 

Produced by Don Hahn and Lori Korngiebel at Stone Circle Pictures, “Howard” premieres Friday, August 7, streaming only on Disney+.

Disney+ Adds Mickey Mouse, Howard Ashman and Wolfgang Puck Documentaries

Disney+ Makes Key Nonfiction Programming Announcements and Previews Launch Titles at International Documentary Association Showcase Event

New Disney+ Titles Include: “Howard,” “People & Places,” “Science Fair,” an “Untitled Mickey Mouse Documentary” and “Wolfgang”; Actors/Filmmakers Gillian Jacobs and Paul Scheer To Each Direct Episode of “Marvel’s 616” Series

Kristen Bell, Jeff Goldblum, Leslie Iwerks and Marvel New Media Preview “Encore!,” “The World According to Jeff Goldblum,” “The Imagineering Story,” and “Marvel’s Hero Project” Before Their November 12 Premieres on Disney+

BURBANK, Calif. (Oct. 18, 2019) -- Today the International Documentary Association invited Disney+ to give the documentary filmmaking community an inside look at the highly-anticipated streaming service’s nonfiction content strategy, including announcing the following titles and filmmakers: 

• “Howard,” directed by Don Hahn (“Beauty and the Beast”);
• “People & Places,” which is produced by Supper Club’s Jason Sterman, Brian McGinn and David Gelb (“13^th,” “Amanda Knox,” “Chef’s Table”), relaunches the original Walt Disney documentary short film series from the 1950s and 1960s;
• National Geographic’s Emmy Award-winning feature documentary “Science Fair” will stream exclusively on the service; 
• an “Untitled Mickey Mouse Documentary” from award-winning producer Morgan Neville (“Won’t You Be My Neighbor?,” “20 Feet From Stardom”) and director Jeff Malmberg (“Marwencol,” “Shangri-la”);
• and “Wolfgang,” directed by Supper Club co-founder David Gelb (“Jiro Dreams of Sushi”).
• Additionally, actress/filmmaker Gillian Jacobs will direct an episode of the previously announced “Marvel’s 616” series.

“Disney has a rich history in nonfiction storytelling that dates back to the 1940s,” said Ricky Strauss, president, content & marketing, Disney+. “The projects announced and showcased here today reflect Disney+’s commitment to building on Walt’s storytelling ethos and core values of creativity, innovation, and exploration.”

The showcase featured Strauss along with Disney+ executives Agnes Chu, SVP, content; and Dan Silver, vice president, originals - unscripted, as well as discussions with executive producers behind launch originals, including Kristen Bell (executive producer, “Encore!”), Jeff Goldblum (“The World According to Jeff Goldblum”), and Leslie Iwerks (director, “The Imagineering Story”). Marvel New Media’s VP of Development & Production Sarah Amos, Supper Club’s Jason Sterman and Gillian Jacobs (director, “Marvel’s 616”) presented Marvel’s initial plans for Disney+ nonfiction storytelling.

Disney+ kicked off the afternoon by unveiling and offering insight into the newly announced projects:

• Disney+ has acquired the worldwide distribution rights for the critically acclaimed documentary “Howard.” Directed by Don Hahn (“Beauty and the Beast”), “Howard” is the untold story of Howard Ashman, the brilliant lyricist behind Disney classics like “Aladdin,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Little Mermaid” and creator of musicals including “Little Shop of Horrors.”  The film will stream exclusively on Disney+ in 2020.

• Academy Award, Grammy Award, and Emmy Award-winning documentarian Morgan Neville (“Won’t You Be My Neighbor?,” “20 Feet From Stardom”) is producing an untitled Mickey Mouse Documentary for the service. Directed by Jeff Malmberg (“Marwencol,” “Shangri-La”), the film will work to decode Mickey’s deeper significance, getting to the core of what his cultural impact says about each of us, and about our world. From Tremolo Productions and Lincoln Square Productions, the film will strive to be the definitive analysis of Mickey as a cultural icon.

• As part of its overall deal with production company Supper Club, Disney+ announced a trio of new projects for the service:

• “People & Places” will re-launch Walt Disney’s Academy Award-winning series of documentary short films. Following in Walt’s footsteps, the series will focus on real-life stories of extraordinary people and places from around the globe that embody the Disney ethos -- all told by a mix of up-and-coming and established filmmakers.

• “Wolfgang,” directed by David Gelb (“Jiro Dreams of Sushi”), will be an intimate portrait of the life and work of the original “celebrity chef,” Wolfgang Puck.

• Multi-talented artist Gillian Jacobs (“Love, “Community”) will direct the first episode in the previously announced documentary anthology series “Marvel’s 616.” From the perspective of what it means to be a woman in what’s perceived to be a male-driven industry, “Higher, Further, Faster” will shine a light on the trailblazing women of Marvel Comics and explores how they found ways to tell stories of representation and inclusion.  Jacobs will be joined by Paul Scheer, David Gelb, and Andrew Rossi, among others, to helm additional episodes of the series.  The episodes will focus on a range of topics including an intimate look at the cosplay community, Marvel’s influence and relationship with hip-hop, illustrators who live and work internationally, and following a high school theater production of Marvel and Disney’s “Spotlight” program. “Marvel’s 616” will stream exclusively on Disney+ in 2020.

• Disney+ will also be the exclusive global streaming home for National Geographic’s Emmy Award-winning documentary film “Science Fair,” which will be available when the service launches on November 12. The winner of audience awards at Sundance Film Festival and SXSW Film Festival, “Science Fair” follows nine high school students from around the globe as they navigate rivalries, setbacks and, of course, hormones, on their journey to compete at The International Science and Engineering Fair.

Producers from nonfiction titles that will be available when Disney+ launches joined Simon Kilmurry, executive director, International Documentary Association and Lynette Rice, editor at large, Entertainment Weekly for a series of conversations exploring their behind-the-scenes process and working with Disney+.

• Executive Producer Kristen Bell shared the first extended look at her unscripted series “Encore!.” The series brings together former castmates of a high school musical, tasking them with re-creating their original performance in a high school reunion like no other. Each episode follows a new cast of returning alumni as they attempt to pull off a standing-ovation-worthy performance of beloved musicals like “The Sound of Music,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Annie” and more. “Encore!” will stream exclusively on Disney+ November 12.

• Sarah Amos, vice president, Development & Production, Marvel New Media, Supper Club’s Jason Sterman, and Gillian Jacobs shared insight into original nonfiction stories that complement and explore the 80-year legacy of Marvel including “Marvel’s Hero Project,” which premieres on Disney+ November 12. Produced by Supper Club and directed by Jacobs, “Marvel’s 616” including “Higher, Further, Faster” will stream on Disney+ in 2020.

• Prolific documentarian and Academy Award and Emmy Award-nominated director and producer Leslie Iwerks (“The Pixar Story,” “Citizen Hearst”) gave a look inside the production process of her documentary series “The Imagineering Story.” The six-hour saga chronicles the 67-year history of Walt Disney Imagineering, a place best described as equal parts artist studio, design center, think tank and innovation laboratory. “The Imagineering Story” streams exclusively on Disney+ November 12.

• Jeff Goldblum, who executive produces and stars in “The World According to Jeff Goldblum” from National Geographic, premiered the series’ “Tattoos” episode for the audience before giving a peek inside his curious mind. Each episode of the series is centered around something we all love -- like sneakers or ice cream -- as Jeff pulls the thread on deceptively familiar objects and unravels a wonderful world of astonishing connections, fascinating science and history, amazing people, and a whole lot of surprising big ideas and insights. “The World According to Jeff Goldblum” streams exclusively on Disney+ November 12.

The nonfiction Disney+ Originals will join the previously announced slate of scripted live-action and animated series and films from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, Lucasfilm, and more, in addition to Disney+ vast library of nearly 500 films and 7,500 television episodes including 30 seasons of “The Simpsons” in the U.S. Disney+ is now available for pre-order in the U.S. for $6.99/month or $69.99/year.

About Disney+

Launching on November 12, 2019, Disney+ will be the dedicated streaming home for movies and shows from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and more, together, for the first time. From The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International segment, Disney+ will offer ad-free programming with a variety of original feature-length films, documentaries, live-action and animated series and short-form content including series “The Mandalorian,” “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series,” and films “Lady and the Tramp” and “Noelle.” Alongside unprecedented access to Disney’s incredible library of film and television entertainment and 30 seasons of “The Simpsons” in the U.S., the service will also be the exclusive streaming home for films released by The Walt Disney Studios in 2019 and beyond, including “Captain Marvel,” “Avengers: Endgame,” “Aladdin,” “Toy Story 4,” “The Lion King,” “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil,” “Frozen 2,”and “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.” The service will launch in select geographic territories, including U.S., Canada, and The Netherlands, followed shortly by Australia and New Zealand, with the expectation to be available in all major markets within the first two-years. Visit DisneyPlus.com to learn more.

ZAYN AND ZHAVIA WARD TO PERFORM "A WHOLE NEW WORLD" AS FEATURED IN DISNEY'S "ALADDIN" FILM AND SOUNDTRACK

ZAYN AND ZHAVIA WARD TO PERFORM 

 OSCAR® AND GRAMMY®-WINNING SONG “A WHOLE NEW WORLD” AS FEATURED IN DISNEY’S “ALADDIN”

ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK TO FEATURE CLASSIC SCORE AND ORIGINAL SONGS BY COMPOSER ALAN

MENKEN, LYRICISTS HOWARD ASHMAN AND TIM RICE, PLUS A NEW SONG

WRITTEN BY MENKEN, BENJ PASEK AND JUSTIN PAUL

WILL SMITH AND DJ KHALED TO PERFORM NEW UPDATED RENDITION OF

 OSCAR-NOMINATED SONG “FRIEND LIKE ME” 

DIGITAL ALBUM SET FOR RELEASE MAY 21

PHYSICAL ALBUM TO BE RELEASED MAY 24

Multi-platinum and global award-winning superstar singer/songwriter ZAYN and emerging sensation singer/songwriter Zhavia Ward are set to perform the Oscar and GRAMMY-winning duet “A Whole New World.”  The song will be featured in the film’s end credits and on the Walt Disney Records soundtrack, and is available today as a single and music video, which can be seen here. The new updated rendition of the classic song is produced by Saltwives aka Alex Oriet and David Phelan (ZAYN and Charli XCX) and the music video was directed by Philip Andelman (Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran). 

“The selection of artists, producer and tonal direction was critical for the success of updating a classic song like this,” said Mitchell Leib, president of Music & Soundtracks for the Walt Disney Studios.  “ZAYN’s vocals are like no other and his artistic imprint immediately brought a contemporary and diverse presence.  Additionally, ZAYN could have chosen any artist in the world to collaborate with on the duet, but he personally selected Zhavia for her unique perspective, powerful vocal abilities and to platform a talented new artist, ensuring that the audience could discover this song, again, for the first time.”  

The timeless ballad, featuring Alan Menken’s beautiful melody and Howard Ashman’s unforgettable lyrics, received an Academy Award®, Golden Globe® Award and GRAMMY Award, among other accolades, upon its release in 1992. 

The “Aladdin” original motion picture soundtrack features an unforgettable score from eight-time Oscar-winning composer Alan Menken (“Beauty and the Beast,” “The Little Mermaid”), along with new recordings of the original songs written by Menken and two-time Academy Award winner Howard Ashman (“Little Shop of Horrors”), three-time Oscar winner Tim Rice (“The Lion King”) and one song written by Menken and Oscar and Tony Award®-winning songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (“La La Land,” “Dear Evan Hansen”). From Walt Disney Records, the digital soundtrack is set for release on May 21 at 9:00pm PT and will be followed by the physical album on May 24.

A thrilling and vibrant live-action adaptation of Disney’s animated classic, “Aladdin” is the exciting tale of the charming street rat Aladdin, the courageous and self-determined Princess Jasmine and the Genie who may be the key to their future.  “Aladdin” opens in U.S. theaters nationwide May 24, 2019.

Oscar-nominated actor and multi-platinum recording artist Will Smith and GRAMMY-nominated superstar songwriter, producer and multi-platinum selling artist DJ Khaled are set to perform a re-invented version of the classic Oscar-nominated song “Friend Like Me.” The song will be featured in the film’s end credit, on the Walt Disney Records soundtrack, and released as a single.  The new updated rendition of the song is produced by DJ Khaled. 

The new original song featured in the film and included on the soundtrack is “Speechless,” performed by Jasmine (Naomi Scott).  The song is Jasmine’s big breakout song in the film about finding her voice, and was written by Alan Menken and songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.

The Aladdin soundtrack includes "Arabian Nights," "One Jump Ahead," "One Jump Ahead (Reprise)," “Speechless” (Part 1), "Friend Like Me," "Prince Ali," "A Whole New World," "One Jump Ahead” (Reprise 2), "Speechless” (Part 2), "A Whole New World” (End Title), "Friend Like Me” (End Title), and “Speechless” (Full), plus 25 score cues composed by Alan Menken.

The Aladdin original motion picture soundtrack physical album is now available for pre-order, pre-add on Apple Music, and pre-save on Spotify.  “A Whole New World” is available at streaming and download services.  For more information on Walt Disney Records releases, follow us atFacebook.com/Disney, Instagram/disneymusic, Twitter.com/disneymusic and our Disney Hits Playlist at http://disneymusic.co/DisneyHits.

ARIANA GRANDE AND JOHN LEGEND TO PERFORM “BEAUTY AND THE BEAST” FOR DISNEY’S LIVE-ACTION ADAPTATION OF "BEAUTY AND THE BEAST"

ARIANA GRANDE AND JOHN LEGEND TO PERFORM

OSCAR® AND GRAMMY®-WINNING SONG “BEAUTY AND THE BEAST” AS THE TITLE TRACK FOR DISNEY’S UPCOMING SOUNDTRACK TO THE LIVE-ACTION

ADAPTATION OF THE ANIMATED CLASSIC

BURBANK, Calif. (Jan. 11, 2017) – GRAMMY nominated and multi-platinum selling artist Ariana Grande and 10-time GRAMMY, Oscar®-winning and multi-platinum selling singer/songwriter/ musician John Legend are set to perform the Oscar and GRAMMY-winning duet “Beauty and the Beast” as the title track for Disney’s upcoming soundtrack to the live-action film adaptation “Beauty and the Beast.” The song will also be featured in the film.

The enchanting ballad, originally performed by Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson featuring eight-time Oscar-winning composer Alan Menken’s beautiful melody and two-time Oscar-winner Howard Ashman’s unforgettable lyrics, received an Academy Award®, Golden Globe® and GRAMMY Award, among other accolades, upon its release in 1991.

The new rendition of the classic song is produced by GRAMMY-winning veteran Ron Fair, whose music career spans 37 years as a major-label record company leader and accomplished producer, arranger, recording engineer and musical director. Fair was brought in to produce by Disney’s president of Music & Soundtracks, Mitchell Leib, who also brought Grande and Legend to the project. The history of collaboration between Leib and Fair in film music goes back to the highly-successful “Pretty Woman” soundtrack. “Ron was the first and only choice to make this particular record,” says Leib. “No one is a better vocal producer and he also has a great understanding of the filmmaking dynamic.”

Fair’s recordings have won six GRAMMY Awards and have been nominated 18 times. Fair discovered and shepherded Christina Aguilera, selling over 50 million albums and winning numerous GRAMMY Awards. He A&R’d Aguilera’s first five albums and championed the Black Eyed Peas to 27 million albums, 4 number-ones and multiple GRAMMY wins, as well as co-producing and arranging the strings on their global breakthrough # 1 hit “Where is The Love?”

Says Fair, “Stepping into the shoes of an Oscar and GRAMMY Award-winning classic is not small potatoes. But with today’s two greatest plutonium singers – John Legend and Ariana Grande – we are bringing the song back with a new school-old school fresh treatment that shows the soulfulness and power of what a great melody and lyric can inspire.”

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The music video will be directed by Dave Meyers, the innovative visionary whose long-time collaborations with major artists like P!nk, Janet Jackson, Ice Cube and Britney Spears have resulted in dozens of award nominations and many wins, including a GRAMMY in 2005 for Best Music Video and 11 MTV Video Music Awards, including one for Katy Perry’s smash hit “Firework.”  He recently directed the music video for P!nk’s hit single “Just Like Fire” from the Walt Disney Records soundtrack for “Alice Through The Looking Glass.”

Menken also provides the film score, with new recordings of the original songs written by Menken and Ashman. Also featured are three new songs written by Menken and veteran lyricist and three time Oscar winner Tim Rice. The original motion picture soundtrack will be released by Walt Disney Records on March 10, 2017. The pre-order is available now at http://disneymusic.co/BeautySndtrkP.

About Ariana Grande:

Within less than a year, Ariana Grande captured #1 on the Billboard 200 twice: first with her Republic Records debut “YOURS TRULY” and also with its 2014 follow-up “MY EVERYTHING.” “YOURS TRULY” yielded the game-changing pop smash “The Way” featuring Mac Miller, which went triple-platinum, landed in the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 and seized #1 on the iTunes

Overall Top Songs chart. Meanwhile, the platinum-selling “MY EVERYTHING” garnered a GRAMMY Award nomination for “Best Pop Vocal Album” and spawned the six times-platinum hit “Problem.” Upon the single's release, Ariana became the youngest woman to debut with over 400K sold first-week, while the song ranked as the 4th highest digital song debut for a female artist and 8th highest ever. Moreover, it debuted at #1 in 85 countries, topping the iTunes Overall Top Songs and Pop Songs charts for four weeks. During release week, “MY EVERYTHING”was #1 on Spotify as Ariana personally rose to #1 on Billboard’s Artist 100 chart. She also became the first woman in history and the first artist since Michael Jackson to simultaneously have three songs (“Problem,” “Break Free” featuring Zedd and “Bang Bang” with Nicki Minaj and Jessie J) in the Top 6 of the Digital Songs Chart. “Bang Bang” went platinum and was GRAMMY-nominated for “Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.” By the end of the year, she landed four songs in the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, the most of any artist in 2014. Ariana has enjoyed a total of eight Hot 100 Top 10 smashes.

In 2013, she was named “Best New Artist” at the American Music Awards. Other accolades followed with Ariana winning: “Favorite Breakout Artist” at the People’s Choice Awards 2014;  the “Young Influencer Award” at the iHeart Radio Music Awards; the “Radio Disney Chart Topper Award,” “Choice Female Artist” and “Choice Single” for “Problem” at the 2014 Teen Choice Awards; and more. At the 2014 MTV VMA’s, “Problem” was named “Best Pop Video” as well. In November, Ariana took home the award for “Favorite Female Artist – Pop/Rock” at the 2015 American Music Awards.

2016 saw Ariana release her platinum-selling third full-length album, “DANGEROUS WOMAN,” driven by the title track which captured #1 on both iTunes Overall Top Songs Chart and Top Pop

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Songs Chart minutes after release. “Dangerous Woman” also debuted in the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 earning her the distinction of becoming the first artist to debut on the chart with the lead single from her first three albums. Her current single, “Side to Side,” featuring Nicki Minaj, recently became Grande’s eighth top 10 hit on the Hot 100. 

About John Legend:

Critically acclaimed, multi-award winning, platinum-selling singer-songwriter John Legend has

garnered ten GRAMMY Awards, an Academy Award, and a Golden Globe, among others. Legend recently released his fifth studio album “DARKNESS AND LIGHT,” to rave reviews, which

features his current anthemic hit “Love Me Now.”  Legend also serves as one of the principles for Get Lifted Film Co., a film and television production company based in Los Angeles. Get Lifted Film Co. serves as executive producers on the HBO documentary “Southern Rites,” Pop Network docu-series “Sing it On”, WGN America’s series “Underground,” and films such as  “Southside With You” and “La La Land.” In 2015, Legend initiated the #FREEAMERICA campaign; a campaign designed to change the national conversation of our country’s misguided policies and to make a change in America’s criminal justice system.

About the film:

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; with 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. “Beauty and the Beast” will be released in U.S. theaters on March 17, 2017.

For more information on Walt Disney Records’ releases, like us on Facebook.com/ disneymusic or follow us at Twitter.com/disneymusic and Instagram.com/disneymusic/.

Disney's 25th Anniversary Beauty and The Beast Blu-Ray Review

Beauty and The Beast returns for its 25th Anniversary in a Walt Disney Signature Collection Blu-ray release. The tale as old as time is one of my favorite Disney animated films of all-time. Marking its second time on Blu-ray, let's take a look and see what is different from its original release.

Video Quality:

You will find the same 1080p video presentation as the previous release which is still stunning. If you have never seen Beauty and The Beast on Blu-ray before then you are in for a treat. The gorgeous transfer will leave everyone from children to the biggest film fan in awe. The rich color palette captures the darkness of the forest, the warmth of the ballroom and more is absolutely pristine. The brush strokes can be seen in the background paintings and serve as a reminder of the artistry that was hand drawn animation. Still one of the very best transfers from Disney ever.   

Audio Quality:

You will find the same DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 lossless soundtrack as on the previous release which is still as stunning as the video release. The audio truly surrounds you and envelopes you into the film. Dialogue is perfectly placed and you can hear every line even whispers. Every sound effect is prioritized to perfection from the clinking teacups, to the thundering crash of lightning above you, to the Beast's roar, to Belle's soft footsteps in the castle. Still an absolutely stunning audio mix.

Bonus Features:

You will find two unique cuts of the film, the original theatrical cut as well as the special extended cut. There is also a sing-along version of the theatrical cut. There new bonus features and the audio commentary is from the previously released Blu-ray. Below is a breakdown of what's included, where, and whether it's new or carryover. It should be noted that every extra on this disc is also available digitally, but not vice-versa, obviously. 

On-disc bonuses: 

• Always Belle (1080p, 11:32): Paige O'Hara talks about voicing Belle and what has happened in her life since then. 
• Menken & Friends: 25 Years of Musical Inspiration (1080p, 19:06): Robert Lopez, Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Stephen Schwartz, and Alan Menken gather to sing songs from the film.
• #1074: Walt, Fairy Tales & Beauty and the Beast (1080p, 9:36): A look back at the very first ideas for a Beauty and The Beast film.
• The Recording Sessions (1080p, 3:48): An all too brief look at the recording sessions of the voice actors that the animators used for reference.
• 25 Fun Facts About Beauty and the Beast (1080p, 5:24): Stuck in the Middle's Kayla Maisonet and Best Friends Whenever's Gus Kamp quickly run through some fun facts about the movie.
• Beauty and the Beast Sneak Peek (1080p, 1:24): An all-too-brief behind-the-scenes preview for the live-action film, coming in March 2017. Don't expect to see much that hasn't already been shown elsewhere. I was hoping for a larger look or at least the footage that was shown to us at the D23 Expo in 2015.
• Song Selection (Sing-Along Edition Only) (1080p, 22:52 total runtime): Fans can jump directly to their favorite songs from the Sing-Along version of the film. Included are Belle, Belle (Reprise), Gaston, Gaston(Reprise), Be Our Guest, Something There, Beauty and the Beast, The Mob Song, and Beauty and the Beast(Reprise).
• Audio Commentary (Extended Edition Only): Directors Kirk Wise and Gary Trousdale, Producer Don Hahn, and Composer Alan Menken. This is the same track available on the previous release. See that review for more information.
• Classic Bonus Preview (1080p, 0:43): A short ad for all the features available digitally.

Below is a list of the digital-only bonus features. 
* indicates that the bonus was available on the previously released Blu-ray. 

Behind the Scenes 

• A Transformation: Glen Keane (3:12)*
• Character Development: Lumiere (2:50)
• Camera Move Test (2:03)*
• The Transformation: Pencil Version (5:22)*
• Character Development: Mrs. Potts (2:14)
• New Digital Horizons (4:21)
• Beyond Beauty: The Untold Stories Behind The Making Of Beauty And The Beast (53:24)*
• Character Development: Beast (3:49)
• Animation Tests, Rough & Clean Ups (4:54)*
• Early Presentation Reel (2:48)*
• Character Development: Gaston (3:12)
• Will vs. Nik (3:15)
• Character Development: Cogsworth (2:53)

Bonus Scenes 

• Deleted Scene: Belle In The Library With Introduction By Roger Allers (9:05)*
• Deleted Song: "Human Again" (6:57)*
• Deleted Song Sequence "Human Again:" Introduction By Don Hahn (0:45)*
• Deleted Song Sequence "Human Again:" Introduction By Alan Menken (0:41)*
• Alternate Story Open With Introduction By Peter Schneider (18:57)*

Cast & Crew 

• Always Belle (11:32)
• Searching For Beast's Castle (17:51)
• Acting As A Team (6:45)

Archives 

• The Beauty Of Voice Acting (10:25)
• Frame By Frame: A Thumbnail Sketch Of The History Of Animation (14:18)
• #1074: Walt, Fairy Tales & Beauty And The Beast (9:35)
• Disney: A Fairy Tale (8:28)

Music & More 

• Song Selection: Beauty and the Beast (Reprise) (0:49)
• Song Selection: Belle (Reprise) (1:01)
• "Beauty And The Beast" Music Video (Preformed By Celine Dion & Peabo Bryson) (4:24)*
• Jordan Sparks "Beauty And The Beast" Music Video (3:26)*
• Menken & Friends: 25 Years Of Musical Inspiration (19:05)
• Song Selection: Gaston (3:08)
• Song Selection: The Mob Song (3:27)
• Broadway Beginnings (13:07)*
• The Recording Sessions (3:47)
• Composing A Classic: A Musical Conversation With Alan Menken, Don Hahn & Richard Kraft(20:18)*
• Song Selection: Belle (5:06)
• Alternate Version: "Be Our Guest" (4:51)*
• Alternate Score: The Transformation (1:59)*
• Song Selection: Something There (1:56)
• Song Selection: Beauty and the Beast (2:47)
• Song Selection: Be Our Guest (3:40)
• Full Circle To Broadway (10:25)
• Ever A Surprise: A Portrait Of Howard Ashman (13:49)
• Song Selection: Gaston (Reprise) (1:08)

Etc. 

• Beauty And The Beast With Audio Commentary (1:31:43)*
• Beauty And The Beast Work-In-Progress Edition (1:25:39)*
• Beauty And The Beast Sing-Along Edition (1:24:53)*
• Beauty And The Beast Original Theatrical Edition (1:24:53)*
• 25 Fun Facts About Beauty And The Beast (5:22)
• Beauty And The Beast Special Extended Edition (1:31:43)*

Promos & Trailers 

• TV Spot #1 (0:32)*
• TV Spot #3 (0:32)*
• Large Format Release Trailer (2:31)*
• TV Spot #4 (0:15)*
• TV Spot #2 (0:32)*
• Original Release Trailer (2:29)*
• Beauty And The Beast Sneak Peak (1:23)

Additional Bonus 

• The Beauty Of Voice Acting (10:25)

Overall:

The 25th Anniversary edition is another fine release to celebrate one of the best animated films of all-time. If you missed the previous Blu-ray release then this is a must buy.