A Popular Disney Fan Theory Has Been Officially Debunked

RIP.

Not too long ago, there was a theory about Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin that became pretty popular.

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You probably remember that during the opening song, Belle stops in to pick up a book and have a quick chat with the shopkeeper.

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She decides to pick an old favorite — a book she's read twice already. But do you remember how she describes what happens in the book?

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It's a pretty specific description:

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And one that sounds an awful lot like the plot of another Disney animated classic...

Yup, it sounds like it maybe might kind of be a nod to Aladdin, which premiered after Beauty and the Beast, right?

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Welp, sorry, guys — it's officially been debunked.

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Gary Trousdale, the director of Beauty and the Beast, spoke to BuzzFeed at a 25th anniversary screening of the film Monday night. "I think Howard's [Ashman, the lyricist] idea was that the prince in disguise was an allusion to the Beast."

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"And the story that she’s reading, you can see — certainly debunking this Aladdin theory a bit further — there’s a brief bit when she’s sitting on the fountain and the sheep come and eat the page out of [the book], you don’t see any Arabic or anything. It’s a very pastoral, European setting."

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"I think the idea was it was supposed to be her. I’ve totally debunked it — it’s absolutely bull," Trousdale said with a laugh.

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♫ Dust in the wind, all we are is dust in the wind... ♫

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