20 Things You Didn’t Know About Beauty and the Beast

Gaston’s death (Image via Disney)

15. Gaston’s death was going to be way darker.

In the final film, Gaston leads a crowd of frightened villagers to attack the Beast’s castle. During the course of the battle, he fights the Beast and mortally wounds him. He also manages to get in some classic villain talk while stalking about the dramatic castle environment. Then, naturally, he loses his footing and conveniently falls to his death from the rooftops of the palace into a waiting ravine.

Side note: the eagle-eyed amongst you might have already spotted this, but check out Gaston’s pupils as he falls to his (presumable) death. A brief shot shows skulls in the middle of his pupils as he’s quickly racing towards his doom. Who knew that Disney animators could be even the slightest bit metal?

Anyway, that wasn’t all that was originally going to happen to Gaston. Early versions of the script and treatments implied a far worse fate. He would have landed at the bottom of that impossibly steep ravine, injured but somehow still alive. Instead of being rescued, however, he would have encountered some very hungry wolves. Said wolves were then going to make quick work of our erstwhile villain.

For some reason, those involved in Beauty and the Beast didn’t think that kids or their families would have enjoyed seeing a man torn to death by ravenous wildlife. You’ll just have to use your imagination, I guess. Or, just rewatch The Lion King. Elements of Gaston’s end were reused for villain Scar at the end of that movie.