If you need a little refresher on how this tale as old as time changed between 1991 and 2017, here are five major differences between the original and the remake.
In this new version, we learn that the curse causes the castle and its inhabitants to become more warped with each falling petal. We also learn that the curse keeps the castle frozen in perpetual winter, while also forcing the people in Belle's village to forget about the castle's very existence.
With the remake, Disney clearly felt Belle should have some marketable skills to offer. In this case, Belle herself is now the inventor of the family, while Maurice is an artist and music box-maker. This helps explain why the townsfolk are so wary of Belle. It's pretty unusual for women in 18th Century France to be inventing washing machines.
In Belle's case, her mother died from the plague shortly after giving birth to her, forcing Maurice and baby Belle to flee Paris. The Beast, meanwhile, suffered the loss of his mother as a child and grew up under a cruel, domineering father. That's the reason he's such a monster to everyone, but his servants stuck around because, even before the curse, they knew a good, kind person still remained under the prince's cranky facade.
The film also includes three new songs in addition to the iconic lineup from the original. Those songs include "Evermore" (about Beast learning to accept his fate), "Days in the Sun" (about Belle and Beast growing used to each other's company) and "How Does a Moment Last Forever?" (sung by both Maurice and Belle at different points).
For another, LeFou has a more redemptive character arc this time around. He eventually asserts his independence and turns against Gaston's men, and in the end is rewarded with the opportunity to dance at Belle's wedding.
It turns out he's not such a bad guy after all.
