In exactly a month's time, Disney's live-action remake of
The Lion King will arrive in theatres. The remake appears to be very faithful to the original animated classic. It'll feature a brand new cast of voice actors, that is apart from James Earl Jones. The iconic voice actor (known for being the voice of Darth Vader) voiced Mufasa in the original and will also be playing the fatherly role in the new version.
Jon Favreau, the director of the live-action remake, recently commented (via
Empire) on exactly why he got Jones to return to the role. Beyond the fact that no other voice actor would be able to compete with Jones' deep voice; Favreau said that he sees it as a way of spiritually connecting the two versions.
“I see it as carrying the legacy across. Just hearing him say the lines is really moving and surreal.” The director then mentioned that, with Jones having aged by twenty years since the original, he's now a better fit for the role than ever:
"The timbre of his voice has changed. That served the role well because he sounds like a king who’s ruled for a long time.”
Along with this interview, Empire's report saw the release of a new still from the film which features Mufasa, Simba, and Zazu. Check it out below:
Director Jon Favreau’s all-new “The Lion King” journeys to the African savanna where a future king is born. Simba idolizes his father, King Mufasa, and takes to heart his own royal destiny. But not everyone in the kingdom celebrates the new cub’s arrival. Scar, Mufasa’s brother—and former heir to the throne—has plans of his own. The battle for Pride Rock is ravaged with betrayal, tragedy and drama, ultimately resulting in Simba’s exile. With help from a curious pair of newfound friends, Simba will have to figure out how to grow up and take back what is rightfully his. The all-star cast includes Donald Glover as Simba, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter as Nala, James Earl Jones as Mufasa, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Scar, Seth Rogen as Pumbaa and Billy Eichner as Timon.
Disney's live-action remake of The Lion King is set to arrive in theaters on July 19th, 2019.