The CW Developing its Own 'Beauty and the Beast'

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Linda Hamilton

The CW is developing its own Beauty and the Beast Project.

The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that the young-skewing network has ordered a script based on the 1980s CBS drama that starred Ron Perlman as Vincent (aka the Beast) and Linda Hamilton as Catherine (the Beauty).

As first reported by TV Line, the rebooted project, set up at CBS Television Studios, is described as a modern-day romantic love story with a procedural twist. Brothers and Sisters duo producer Jennifer Levin and Sherri Cooper are attached to pen the project and executive produce alongside Paul Witt, C. Anthony Thomas, Ron Koslow and Bill Haber.

STORY: ABC Reimagining ‘Beauty and the Beast’

The project comes nearly a week after ABC Studios set up a “reimagination” of the famed story with Human Target scribe Jonathan E. Steinberg attached to executive produce and pen the project for ABC.

The ABC version, with Gary Fleder and Mary Beth Basile attached as exec producers, is described as an epic fantasy reimagining of the public domain fairy tale about a girl forced to live with a beast in a castle who ultimately falls in love with him.  

CBS owns the rights to the 1980s series, which ran for three seasons. 

The CW’s Beauty and the Beast is said to be the first project new network topper Mark Pedowitz spoke with about with CBS Television Studios chief David Stapf when he joined the network.

Email: Lesley.Goldberg@thr.com; Twitter: @Snoodit