Disney has just released the first teaser for their upcoming The Lion King reboot, and it’s pretty exciting. James Earl Jones is reprising his role as narrator/Mufasa, so the familiarity is there, and his voice eases you into the new, high-tech-CGI world of The Lion King (2019).
After Mufasa’s intro, which is his famous speech to Simba about how “everything the light touches” is his kingdom, ‘The Circle Of Life’ starts to play as the camera pans over the Pride Lands, and Rafiki makes his way towards a sleepy and blinking baby Simba.
Rafiki anoints him, as he does in the animated film you know and love, and presents him to the animals below, while Simba looks thoroughly bewildered throughout the entire process. All of the animals bow, and then it’s credits time. But keep watching – the trailer ends with what is most likely Simba as an adult giving a tremendous roar, with James Earl Jones saying ‘Remember…’ over the top.
Watch it for yourself here:
July 19, 2019. #TheLionKing pic.twitter.com/CYCRcHLGom
— The Lion King (@disneylionking) November 22, 2018
The teaser gives us a taste of The Lion King‘s most iconic scene – when Simba is presented to all the other animals in the Pride Lands after being baptised (or whatever the lion equivalent of a baptism is), as ‘The Circle Of Life’ plays.
It’s the perfect introduction to the reboot, and I’m saying this as someone who has previously complained about the number of reboots Disney is producing. This reboot already looks better than both the Cinderella and The Beauty and the Beast live-action reboots, and baby Simba’s adorableness only accounts for about 75% of the reason why.
Take your place. #TheLionKing pic.twitter.com/MYkL0CmZ4y
— The Lion King (@disneylionking) November 22, 2018
The amazing cast is the other 25%. Donald Glover as Simba, Beyoncé as Nala, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Scar, Billy Eichner as Timon, Seth Rogen as Pumbaa, John Oliver as Zazu, Keegan Michael-Key and Eric Andre as two of Scar’s hyena henchmen, and, of course, James Earl Jones as Mufasa.
The star-studded cast rivals the amazing casting of the original, with Matthew Broderick as Simba, Jeremy Irons as Scar, Rowan Atkinson as Zazu, and Nathan Lane as Timon.
Plus, it’s being directed by Jon Favreau, the man behind Elf, Iron Man & Iron Man 2, and Disney’s live-action/CGI The Jungle Book reboot.
The teaser is peppered with shots that echo shots from the original film, including this iconic moment of Simba literally following in Mufasa’s footsteps:
I was cynical before, but consider me converted. The Lion King will be out in July next year, and it can’t come soon enough.