Thursday
Nov022017
"Lion King" Revival Announces Cast
Thursday, November 2, 2017 at 10:00AM
;)
Your childhood memories are about to get Beyoncé'd.
Disney's The Lion King is getting the live-action treatment and previews for it have already shown great promise. Disney has now revealed the list of stars that will voice your most cherised prepubescent traumas. Standouts include James Earl Jones as Mufasa (he also voiced the original in 1994), Chiwetel Ejiofor as maybe-gay uncle Scar, and budding singer/song-reader Beyoncé Knowles-Carter. The new King's cast of voices features great diversity that we hope is indicative of the crew behind-the-scenes.
Check out the full main cast up next...
#TheLionKing. 2019. 🦁👑 pic.twitter.com/UMJo18FwDt
— Disney (@Disney) November 1, 2017
The film, directed by Jon Favreau (The Jungle Book) will be released on July 19, 2019.
Reader Comments (24)
Can someone explain how a film populated with CG animals qualifies as live-action? I just hope it's not as busted as BatB...
Disappointed Timon and Pumbaa aren't the ONLY white people in the cast. Some may be asking "why not make those two black too?" Well, they are supposed to be outsiders to the pride lands and having them be "the cast's only white people" kind of makes sense. I'd hope for John Oliver to step down. Maybe Disney can replace him with Wyatt Cenac or Larry Wilmore to convey the black version of the same basic idea? Because I'm really not against "modern Zazu" coming from a Daily Show with Jon Stewart background. But be smarter with it than lazily getting the biggest name possible.
*Scar. Not Jafar. Someone is mixing the gay/fab characters.
I would be beyond excited for this cast if they were making literally any other movie, but I've reached peak exhaustion with Disney's annual live action cash grabs.
'Diversity' just because there are only african american and caucasian actors? That's so cute.
Nobody needs this movie. They can greenlight so many great project with this budget.
Ed: I wouldn't describe this as diverse. I'd describe it as more "appropriate" than the original's cast, but that's not the same thing as diverse. Babel is diverse. Pacific Rim is diverse. Captain Planet is diverse.
John Oliver ain't white folk.
@Volvagia
/3rtful: Okay, if we're going to account for that Space Jam line, John Oliver is "clear", as Bill Murray puts it. Which, also to be clear, is that (really bad) film's one good line.
Ya bring back James Earl Jones, but not Jeremy Irons??
*movie pauses for 5 minutes while Nala sings "Listen" from "Dreamgirls"*
*movie pauses for 10 more minutes while Nala sings "Evermore" from the 2017 "Beauty and the Beast"*
It's an unnecessary remake of a movie I already didn't much like, but Favreau's "Jungle Book" was unexpectedly good.
*singer/song-reader*
AHAHAHA so accurate
What does adding Carter to her name supposed to specify??,it suggests real pretension.
Arlo: Disney is trying to be progressive and savvy. That's what this cast is "about" as a statement. Lot less white people in this cast than the original, and two of the ones left are ones where them still having white voices makes a lot of sense. Chiwetel Ejiofor is going to be a FINE replacement for Irons.
markgordonuk: Hyphenating your name is "pretension"? Um...you obviously don't know what words mean.
Remember that this is a voice cast and frankly the two leads have incredibly charming and dynamic voice skills.
If no one has experienced the diverse nature of Glover's voice work, get to a Childish Gambino album NOW. Also, animation and 3D films are also trying to get 'recognizable names' to sell their films, at least this cast is made up of people who have distinct voices and will only be an asset to the cast.
Kudos to this cast and i look forward to this film. This is gonna be awesome.
Is this going to be like the cartoon or the stage musical? I am just not seeing Beyoncé running around and singing believably as a lion.
She never had the carter till now,why???
I'm confused why is everyone focused on Beyoncé, Nala isn't even a huge role. Beyoncé has done voice work before for animated roles. Just because she literally gives credit to everyone who works with her on a song does not mean she cannot write them. One of her co-writers even stated that she basically wrote the song, but gave credit to everyone who helped even a little. So please stop the hate.
@Migs- I wouldn't consider Nala a lead in the Lion King. Have you seen the animated movie. She's more of a supporting character.
I saw the original musical in pre-Broadway previews as a lad. If it holds true to the movie and musical, Beyonce's character won't show up until the second act. I'm very excited but worried that young stans won't get that Lion King is very much an ensemble show.
It's all fine. Calm down.
*singer/song-reader*
I tried to change. Closed my mouth more, tried to be softer, prettier, less awake. Fasted for 60 days, wore white, abstained from mirrors, abstained from sex, slowly did not speak another word. In that time, my hair, I grew past my ankles. I slept on a mat on the floor. I swallowed a sword. I levitated. Went to the basement, confessed my sins, and was baptized in a river. I got on my knees and said 'amen' and said 'I mean.'
I whipped my own back and asked for dominion at your feet. I threw myself into a volcano. I drank the blood and drank the wine. I sat alone and begged and bent at the waist for God. I crossed myself and thought I saw the devil. I grew thickened skin on my feet, I bathed in bleach, and plugged my menses with pages from the holy book, but still inside me, coiled deep, was the need to know ...
what do I have to do to get some respect for my songwriting skills?
A well made film with beautiful animation and a great soundtrack. Many of the themes are for a mature audience which isn't necessarily surprising for a Disney feature. It offers a powerful story that can be enjoyed by kids and adults. "The Lion King" is a film that defined my childhood and is one I still enjoy.