Belle has found her Beast! The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that Dan Stevens is in negotiations to play the Beast/Prince in Disney’s live-action ‘Beauty and the Beast.’ Stevens will star opposite Emma Watson as Belle, while Luke Evan’s is in negotiations to play the boorishly handsome Gaston.

The 32-year old actor is best known for playing Matthew Crawley on BBC’s Downton Abbey.  He’s also appeared in Walk Among the Tombstones, The Guest, Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb, and The Fifth Estate. 

https://twitter.com/thatdanstevens/status/573290750101860352

Directed by Bill Condon. Produced by David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman of Mandeville Films. Script written by Evan Spiliotopoulos and rewritten by Steve Chbosky.

‘Beauty and the Beast’ to hit theaters in 2015.