Ewan McGregor joins star-studded Beauty and the Beast cast as Lumiere

The Scottish actor will be preparing for showstopper song 'Be Our Guest'

Ewan McGregor looks set to play Lumiere in the Beauty and the Beast live action remake (Getty Images/Rex Features)

Ewan McGregor is the latest big name to join the cast of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast live action remake.

The Scottish actor is in final talks to play the Beast’s suave French servant and close friend Lumiere, who turns into a candelabra when the Prince’s castle is cursed, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Yes, this means Ewan will be performing the movie’s most popular song “Be Our Guest”, but then he did get lots of singing practice in 2001’s Moulin Rouge.

Emma Watson is on board to play heroine Belle, Downton Abbey’s Dan Stevens is her Beast and eventual Prince Charming and Luke Evans will star as arrogant, chauvinistic villain Gaston.

Emma Watson will play Belle in Beauty and the Beast (Getty Images/Disney)

Ian McKellen has taken on one of his most bizarre roles yet as grandfather clock Cogsworth, while Emma Thompson is motherly teapot Mrs Potts, Josh Gad is Gaston’s faithful sidekick Le Fou, Gugu Mbatha-Raw is feather duster Plumette and Audra McDonald is glamourous wardrobe Garderobe.

Bill Condon is directing the modern reboot of the 1991 animated classic that teaches children how personality is more important than appearance. The original songs will be retained, along with some new ones from Alan Menken and Tim Rice.

Filming is scheduled to begin next month but read-throughs took taking place in London last week. Fans will have to wait until March 2017 for Beauty and the Beast to reach the silver screen.

Disney is busy remaking many of its animated films, with Pinocchio, The Jungle Book, Dumbo and Mulan all set to follow the successes of Alice in Wonderland, Maleficent and most recently, Cinderella, into live action movies.