Disney+ Acquires New Black Beauty Adaptation

The roster of original films on Disney+ continues to grow, with the streaming service adding another new title to its ranks. On Wednesday, Disney announced that it had acquired an upcoming adaptation of the classic novel Black Beauty, which will debut on the streamer later this year. This new version of the story is a live-action feature film, in which Academy Award-winning actress Kate Winslet voices the titular horse.

This contemporary adaptation of Anna Sewell's will bring new life to the story that so many have fallen in love with over the years. Black Beauty was produced by Constantin Film and JB Pictures, and Disney purchased the rights from the developers in order to release the film exclusively on Disney+. At this time, an exact release date has yet to be revealed.

Ashley Avis wrote and directed Black Beauty, which was shot in its entirety last year in South Africa. The film has already been completed, making it a significant asset for Disney. With productions shut down across the world, and studios everywhere striving for content, a release-ready film is a sight for sore eyes.

Mackenzie Foy stars in the film as the lead character Jo Green, a 17-year-old girl who is grieving over the loss of her parents. Her life ends up intertwining with that of an American mustang that was captured and taken from her family. The two develop a close bond as they spend more time together, and realize how similar their stories actually are.

Black Beauty also stars Iain Glen and Claire Forlani. Jeremy Bolt and Robert Kulzer produced the film, with Martin Moszkowicz, Edward Winters, and Jon Brown serving as executive producers. Dylan Tarason is the film's co-producer and Genevieve Hofmeyr is the South African producer.

Disney has made significant strides to add more original content to Disney+ over the past year, with films like Artemis Fowl and The One and Only Ivan being moved to the service from the theatrical slate.

Are you looking forward to Disney's upcoming adaptation of Black Beauty? Let us know in the comments! If you haven't signed up for Disney+ yet, you can try it out here.

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