For decades Disney has been considered the top dog when it comes to quality animated movies and now it looks like the company wants to set a similar standard for CGI films. 2016’s The Jungle Book and 2017’s Beauty and the Beast were already proof of that, but Disney seems to be taking it one step further with the Lion King remake. The first trailer for the CGI/live-action reimagining of the beloved 1994 animated film just dropped and it looks very impressive. Granted, it’s just a teaser and the final product may look a bit different. But we’re definitely liking what we’re seeing so far.
If you’re a fan of the original Lion King, this trailer will surely bring back fond memories. The trailer replicates almost entirely the original’s opening scenes, complete with similar narration and music. And yes, that includes the iconic scene where Rafiki introduces baby Simba to all the other animals. A great opening sequence that looks surprisingly well in CGI.
As far as the story is concerned, it seems to be unchanged since the original Lion King. Namely, Simba’s uncle, Scar, tricks him into believing he was responsible for Mufasa’s death. Simba goes into exile as a result but later learns that his uncle was the one who actually murdered his father. Now Simba returns from exile to avenge Mufasa, dethrone his uncle, and fulfill his destiny to become the Lion King.
The Lion King Remake Will Feature Many Well-Known Voices
The casting for the Lion King remake includes many well-known actors along with a couple of unexpected personalities like Beyoncé and late-night show host John Oliver. In terms of lead actors, you can expect Donald Glover (Solo: A Star Wars Story) as future Lion King Simba, James Earl Jones (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) as Mufasa, and Chiwetel Ejiofor (Doctor Strange) as Scar. Other notable performances include John Kani (Black Panther) as Rafiki, Keegan-Michael Key (Key & Peele) as Kamari, Billy Eichner (American Horror Story) as Timon and Seth Rogen (Superbad) as Pumbaa.
The Lion King remake is expected to hit theaters on July 19, 2019. Coincidentally, that date will mark the 25th anniversary of the original’s release. Lion King aside, Disney is also working on live-action/CGI remakes of Dumbo, Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, and Mulan. To name just a few. And those are just some of the ones we know about, with a few others probably in the planning stages.
- 10 Great Horror Games to Play This Halloween - October 20, 2021
- New World Leveling Guide for Beginners – How to Get to Level 60 Fast - October 18, 2021
- 15 Hybrid Games That Successfully Combined Multiple Genres - October 15, 2021