Hakuna Matata! Disney confirms a live-action remake of The Lion King movie
It’s the circle of life, business-style. In 1994, Disney released The Lion King in cinemas which became the sixth highest-grossing animated film ever. That inspired a stage show of the same name, which surpassed The Phantom of the Opera to become the top-selling musical, ever.
Walt Disney Studios has announced it will “re-imagine” its children’s classic, with The Jungle Book director Jon Favreau at the helm.
Although a release date hasn’t been confirmed, the project is being fast-tracked following Favreau’s success with The Jungle Book.
Naturally, it will include songs from the animated original, written by Elton John and Tim Rice. The soundtrack has sold more than 14 million copies, with John and Rice’s balladCan You Feel the Love Tonight winning best original song at the 1995 Academy Awards.
While the film is reportedly a “live-action” remake, it will – by necessity – include plenty of computer-generated effects, given the absence of human characters.
The Lion King is the latest in a string of updated classic children’s films, including Cinderella, Pete’s Dragon, Beauty and the Beast andThe Jungle Book.
The animated version, which features the voices of Matthew Broderick, James Earl Jones and Nathan Lane, has earned almost $US1 billion worldwide.
“The Lion King builds on Disney’s success of re-imagining its classics for a contemporary audience with films like Maleficent, Cinderellaand The Jungle Book,” Disney said on its website.
“The upcoming Beauty and the Beast, starring Emma Watson as Belle, is already one of the most anticipated movies of 2017. Like Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King will include songs from the animated film.”