Well, I guess I can say I have written so many of these articles that I can literally do it in my sleep. That is to say, I could literally be asleep at my desk and write this article with no problems whatsoever.
Anyway, Disney’s developing slate of live-action remakes is heating up in the wake of Beauty and the Beast’s big splash at the box office. Aladdin will begin casting actors and will start filming this summer. Dumbo has been casting actors and will begin filming as early as spring. Can you guess what other live-action remake is also casting actors and will begin filming soon?
Once again, a listing on My Entertainment World (as reported by Screen Rant) has revealed that Jon Favreau’s live-action rendition of the 1994 landmark animated film The Lion King will start production soon. Specifically, filming will start sometime in May, and they will shoot in Los Angeles, California.
The site also reveals the synopsis for the film, stating as follows:
“Set in the African Savannah, the story told of a young lion named Simba who loses his father Mufasa thanks to his evil uncle Scar, and is cast out into far reaches of the wilderness. Years later, he returns to reclaim his throne.”
So the film will follow the general plot of the original film, to no one’s surprise. What is a surprise is the casting, which if these actors are any indication, appears to be employing a mix of talented up-and-comers and legendary veterans (some of whom happened to have worked on the original film).
As recently announced by Jon Favreau on his own Twitter account, Community alum Donald Glover has been cast in the lead role of Simba:
Soon after, Favreau dropped another major casting reveal: James Earl Jones will reprise his iconic voice role as Simba’s father, Mufasa:
As with other films, you can expect more casting news as The Lion King gets closer to starting production.
Directing from a screenplay by Jeff Nathanson (Catch Me If You Can), the film will utilize Photo-realistic CGI for the characters and the environment in the film. This approach has proved a bit controversial, as commentators in several circles voiced doubt over whether The Lion King (and for that matter, The Jungle Book) can be categorized as ‘live-action’ films.
Whatever your opinion on that is, Favreau’s passion for the film is clearly evident in both his tweets and his interviews about the project. If a ‘live-action’ Lion King movie has to happen, than Disney made a smart move by entrusting the project to him.
What do you think? Do you approve of the casting choices? Should Favreau’s Lion King be considered a live-action movie?
Edited by: Kelly Conley