By I’ve gotta say, for as much as I think studios need to be held accountable for unnecessary sequels, revivals, resurrections, blood sacrifices, reboots, and remakes, Disney seems to be doing right by their classic slate of animated films as of late (though thoughts on Dumbo to be determined). The new trailer for The Lion King further confirms my suspicions, with the remake lookin’ fine.
With an out-of-this world voice cast including Donald Glover as Simba, James Earl Jones returning to his role as Mufasa, and Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen as Timon and Pumbaa, Disney is sparing no expense. Beyoncé, John Oliver, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Keegan-Michael Key, and Eric André, among a dozen others, round out the cast. Eric André! This movie is going to be amazing!
No stranger to chatty chimps and linguistic lions, Jon Favreau directs, having done similar work with 2016 The Jungle Book.
I think there’s always a vocal fanbase of nostalgic filmgoers who will decry The Lion King unnecessary and unwanted. Are they right? Maybe. They’re entitled to their opinion. For the rest of us, The Lion King looks absolutely gorgeous, seems to be balancing levity with real-world gravity nicely, and should be a fun time. We shall see when it opens July 19th.