One of the big questions fans have had with Disney’s CGI remake of The Lion King is what kind of new stuff we can expect. It’s a fair enough query since director Jon Favreau has said that the remake will honour all the big moments in the original film while adding in extra elements.
It seems like we’re getting more Lion King goodness than expected because the remake reportedly clocks in at 118 minutes, a full 29 minutes longer than the original animated film.
With so much more time for activities, we decided to hazard a guess at 29 things Disney could fill those extra 29 minutes with. This is important business and should definitely, 100% be taken seriously.
1. A backstory into Rafiki
We get that he’s a mandrill but, like, what’s his deal? Where did he come from? Why is he like a pseudo shaman to the lions?
2. Explaining Rafiki’s thing of smearing red plant stuff on the foreheads of lion cubs
Is it a tradition? A ceremonial ritual? Just something he likes to do?
3. Revealing the origins of Scar’s scar
It’s been bugging me for 25 years.
4. A backstory to the frostiness between Mufasa and Scar
Something went down between the two, surely. Probably ties into no.3.
5. Michelle Obama cameoing as Mufasa and Scar’s mother
One can hope.
6. Zazu’s daily routine
What does he do besides deliver reports to Mufasa and chaperoning lion cubs?
7. Mufasa doing some proper ruling
We’ve seen him lecture Simba, fight hyenas, and… that’s it actually.
8. More Sarabi
Need more time in her motherly presence.
9. A tour of Pride Rock
I still have no idea how Pride Rock works in terms of sleeping quarters, the nooks and crannies, and how Mufasa and Simba get to the top to see the sunrise.
10. An explanation of how far the Pride Lands go
“Everywhere the light touches” is a bit ambiguous.
11. Backstory into all the hyena animosity
Why so much hate?
12. The origins of Scar teaming up with the hyenas
Still not sure how this part of his grand Machiavellian plan to be king came to be.
13. Some reference to Captain America’s arse
Why not?
14. More Timon and Pumbaa
No explanation needed.
15. Montage of Simba growing up with Timon and Pumbaa
I’d be happy if they did a CGI version of the parenting Simba scenes from The Lion King 1 1/2.
16. New musical sequences
It’s a “musical film” so give us more musical with the film.
17. Nala’s backstory
There’s an intriguing gap between her childhood and her meeting Simba again as an adult.
18. A Beyoncé solo musical sequence.
See no.16 and no.17.
19. The origins of the elephant graveyard
There’s a lot of dead elephants in that place and I want to know more about it.
20. What happens to Mufasa’s body?
Does it stay in the gorge? Did the lionesses retrieve it? Did scavengers come and, well, you know?
21. An explanation of where the stampede was going
Was there even a destination or were they just, you know, running for the sake of running because the hyenas forced them to?
22. Timon dressing up in more random costumes
The Hawaiian look was a start but I want more.
23. A look into Simba’s diet when living with Timon and Pumbaa
I don’t know much about lions but even I know they can’t survive on an all grub diet regardless of how slimy yet satisfying they are.
24. A look into what happens to Pride Rock when Simba leaves
Scar was handed a shiny kingdom and it turned to crap. How?
And why didn’t the large animals, like the elephants, revolt and just squish Scar? How could the kingdom just shrug their shoulders and accept Scar as their new dictator?
25. Fleshing out Simba and Nala’s relationship
I get they’re betrothed and all, but they’re completely different lions when they reconnect as adults so it would be nice to see them navigate that.
26. Donald Glover doing comedic bits as Simba goes through lion puberty
I want to see him bring back his inner Troy Barnes. It’s been a while.
27. Graphic animal murder scenes
The remake looks like a NatGeo documentary anyway so might as well go all the way.
28. Rocket Raccoon and Chewbacca showing up and talking to Simba
About life and how corporate synergy across Disney IP is the REAL Circle of Life.
29. Blooper reel
It worked for Jackie Chan, Toy Story 2 and Monsters Inc. so why wouldn’t it work here?
