On what date was Beauty and the Beast released in the US?

Beauty and the Beast was released generally in the United States on November 22, 1991.

That date is the film’s standard U.S. release date and the one most commonly listed in film references. It opened during Disney’s Renaissance, the studio’s celebrated run of animated successes that also included The Little Mermaid and Aladdin.

The date can cause confusion because the film had earlier U.S. events. An unfinished version premiered at the New York Film Festival on September 29, 1991, followed by a Hollywood premiere on November 10 and a Los Angeles release on November 15. Those were festival, premiere, or limited-release milestones rather than the broad national opening.

The 1991 film was directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise, with songs by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman. Its release became a major cultural and commercial event: it earned the first Academy Award nomination for Best Picture received by an animated feature and won Oscars for its score and title song.