Anticipation is building towards the release of Jon Favreau's
The Lion King, and today Disney released a new featurette that goes behind-the-scenes of the highly anticipated remake/ live-action adaptation.
In the video, the cast and crew discuss what makes the original story of
The Lion King so memorable and how the Jon Favreau's adaptation reimagines it in a way that'll captivate audiences.
"The reason The Lion King has endured is because the inspiration that we're getting from it is universal," explains Keegan-Michael Key, who voices Kamari. Alfre Woodard, the voice of Sarabi, adds:
"It's a story that remains true to everybody."
While Favreau's
The Lion King might appear to be a shot-for-shot recreation, his adaptation is about capturing the spirit of the original animated classic and allowing audiences to experience it in a new way.
"I think when you can capture the spirit but show them something new and surprising, this is sort of the best combo," says Favreau.
Beyond the story, the cast also discusses the passionate work that went into retelling of the story - from the characters to the music to the visuals - and we even get to see a brief snippet of the famous song "Hakuna Matata" (including the recording process). Check out the full featurette below, which features some brand new footage from the upcoming film.
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.
The Lion King hits theaters July 19, 2019.