Jeffrey Katzenberg looks at some new technology Wednesday at the 3DX festival. (Getty Images photo) By Janine Stein SINGAPORE -- It's a 3-D world, and Jeffrey Katzenberg thinks it's time to reflect that on the big screen -- and not just in animated...

“The Beauty and the Beast” is getting a makeover, a digital 3-D one, Disney announced. The children-friendly company said it plans to launch the new version of the 1991 animated film in 2010.

The 1991 film’s producer Don Hahn and directors Kirk Wise and Gary Trousdale said they are using the original computer files of “The Beauty and the Beast” to make the new digital 3-D version.

The making and release of the new version of “The Beauty and the Beast” was announced by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Group president Mark Zoradi at the 3DX: 3D Film and Entertainment Technology Festival held in Singapore.

The 3-D version of “The Beauty and the Beast” will be Disney’s 11th 3-D feature.

The re-rendering process is expected to take about 10 months. Other animated movies such as "Toy Story" and its sequel "Toy Story 2" are expected to be released in digital 3-D in 2009 and 2010.

Hahn said that, by using the files of the original film which were stored in electronic format for the past 17 years and adding separate background, effects and character animation elements, Disney will be able to come up with “a fun and unique 3-D experience for existing and new fans of the film."

The list of animated movies Walt Disney Studios has been working to re-render to 3-D includes "Jonas Brothers 3-D Concert Movie," Disney/Pixar's "Up,"...
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