'Beauty and the Beast' Adds Ian McKellen

This live-action Beauty and the Beast movie is assembling a rather impressive cast so far: Emma Watson is playing Belle opposite Dan Stevens’ hunky Beast, which is exciting enough before you even get to the supporting cast. Joining our two leads now is Sir Ian McKellen — your favorite Magneto and mine — as Cogsworth, the castle’s butler who is transformed into a talking clock.

THR reports the perfect casting of McKellen as Cogsworth, a character who needs to be portrayed by someone with wisdom and sophistication. And when I think wise, older, sophisticated gentleman, I definitely think Ian McKellen. Cogsworth didn’t have a song of his own in Disney’s original animated film, but maybe they can write a new song just for him. He is Sir Ian McKellen, after all.

McKellen joins Watson and Stevens in the titular roles, alongside Luke Evans as the villainous narcissist Gaston, Josh Gad as his underling Le Fou, Emma Thompson as castle maid-turned-teapot Mrs. Potts, Audra McDonald as Garderobe, and Kevin Kline as Belle’s kindly father Maurice.

Beauty and the Beast will retell the classic story of Belle, who volunteers ~~as tribute~~ to take her father’s place when he’s imprisoned by Beast, a selfish prince who was transformed into an imposing creature by a spiteful witch. With the help of Beast’s loyal, enchanted house servants, Belle begins to see her captor for who he truly is on the inside.

Dreamgirls and Twilight: Breaking Dawn director Bill Condon is helming the musical film, which arrives on March 17, 2017.