RUMOR: Ryan Gosling to play the Beast to Emma Watson’s Belle?

Ryan Gosling fans might have reason to rejoice! Coming off of the huge news that Harry Potter‘s own Emma Watson will be playing Belle in Disney’s live-action version of Beauty and the Beast, the Tracking Board has written that actor Ryan Gosling (known for his roles in such films as Drive and The Notebook) has been offered the role of the Beast:

[…] Ryan Gosling is Disney’s top choice to star in BEAUTY AND THE BEAST and has been offered the role. The part that Gosling is being courted for is the Beast himself. The film will be a live-action remake of the 1991 animated Disney classic. This version will also be a musical, likely keeping the original’s beloved musical numbers intact.

While nothing has been confirmed as of yet, we at MuggleNet certainly feel that casting Gosling as Beast would make for one magical movie.

The Tracking Board adds,

Bill Condon will helm the remake and was reported to have only boarded the project this past summer. David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman of Mandeville Films will produce. The film is set to begin production this year, with no tentative release date announced.

Beauty and the Beast isn’t the only animated Disney film about to be brought to life. Sir Kenneth Branagh’s upcoming live-action Cinderella will be released this March, followed in 2016 by a live-action version of The Jungle Book.

Are you looking forward to Beauty and the Beast? What do you think of this rumor? Whom would you like to see in the role of the Beast? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!