It has been almost two years since Walt Disney Animation Studios announced that they would be converting Beauty and the Beast into 3D for a Valentine’s Day 2010 theatrical rerelease. Disney has been showing a short test of the 3D footage at various industry events, including last year’s ShoWest. Unlike the live-action 3D post conversions, I was actually quite impressed with what Disney was able to achieve with the added dimensionality (read my previous report here). Earlier this year, Disney pushed the releease back to a To Be Announced 2011 date, and it was later revealed that they were so happy with how Beauty 3D turned out, that they were also in the process of converting The Lion King to 3D as well.

We still don’t know when the 3D version will hit theaters, but many assume it’s February 14th 2011, as Disney wanted to target Valentine’s Day in it’s previous release plans. But a one minute teaser trailer has been found online, and can now be watched embedded after the jump. According to the trailer, it will get a very limited release in New Zealand on August 12th 2010.

The film’s original producers Don Hahn and directors Kirk Wise and Gary Trousdale used the film’s original computer files to re-render the film in 3D, a process that took an estimated 10 months. “By going back to the original animation files, which have been carefully archived for 17 years, and using the separate background, effects and character animation elements, we’re able to come up with a fun and unique 3-D experience for existing and new fans of the film,” Producer Don Hahn has said.

Thanks to Stitch Kingdom for the heads up on the trailer.