Disney and Webtoon Just Released a Dark, Twisted Take on BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
Disney has never been afraid to revisit its own animated classics, but its newest reimagining might be one of the most twisted yet. The studio has teamed up with Webtoon to launch a darker, unexpected version of Beauty and the Beast, and the first three episodes are already available to read.
The new story is titled As Old As Time: A Twisted Tale, adapted by Beatrice Bassoli and Francesca Siviero, with artwork from Chiara Bracale and Rossella Gentile.
It’s part of Disney’s growing effort to give fans deeper, more complex interpretations of its fairy tale universe. But this isn’t just a slightly moodier retelling, and it completely changes how you see Belle and the Beast.
Like the original 1991 film, the story begins with an arrogant Prince who cruelly mocks a stranger seeking shelter at his castle. The stranger, of course, turns out to be an enchantress who curses him, transforming him into the Beast.
When Belle later arrives to take her father’s place as prisoner, everything feels familiar, until the story veers sharply into uncharted territory.
This time, Belle’s mysterious family history takes center stage. In the original movie, Belle’s mother is barely mentioned, and even the live-action remake only hinted at her backstory. But A Twisted Tale turns that omission into something game-changing: Belle’s mother isn’t gone… she’s the enchantress who cursed the Beast in the first place.
That shocking twist sends Belle and the Beast on a journey filled with dark secrets, blurred memories, and a desperate search for the truth about their intertwined fates. It’s a revelation that reshapes the emotional foundation of their relationship, giving fans an entirely new way to experience the story they thought they knew.
Here’s the official description of the series:
“Clever and imaginative, Belle longs to escape her provincial town to find adventure. Only, Belle’s father won’t leave. He’s waiting for her mother to return— a mother Belle can’t remember.
“But when Belle’s father is taken prisoner by a terrifying Beast, she offers to take his place to save his life. Belle finds the Beast’s enchanted rose, and when she touches it, images flood her mind with memories of the mother she believed she would never see again.
“Shocked and confused, Belle and the Beast must work together to unravel a dark mystery about their families.”
It’s an interesting new spin on one of Disney’s most beloved stories, filled with gothic atmosphere, emotional stakes, and mystery. Fans of Beauty and the Beast who love their fairy tales with a darker edge will definitely want to dive in.
Episodes 1 through 3 of As Old As Time: A Twisted Tale are available now on Webtoon.
