Jon Favreau proved, earlier this year, that cutting-edge technology allows filmmakers to breathe new life into animated classics when he brought The Jungle Book back to theaters. Many wondered if Favreau would rush into a Jungle Book sequel, seeing as how successful this first movie was. As it turns out, he has something different, and equally awesome, in mind.
Walt Disney Studios confirmed this morning that Jon Favreau will fast-track a live-action retelling of The Lion King, which will include songs from the original animated movie. No release date has been set for the film just yet, though knowing the intense and lengthy production schedule for The Jungle Book, we don't imagine that we will see it in theaters any time soon.
The Lion King, released back in 1994, banked a staggering $968 million dollars during its box office rune, making it on of the highest-grossing animated movies of all time... at that time. It even won an Oscar, for Elton John and Tim Rice's "Can you Feel the Love Tonight." (Naturally, Lion King has been surpassed by Frozen and a handful of recent Walt Disney animated movies since then, but it's still a smash.) Yet, The Lion King also has branched out into numerous other avenues of pop culture, including a very successful Broadway show that had award-winning music.
This is a new trend for Walt Disney. After The Jungle Book, the studio is prepping for a live-action interpretation of Beauty and the Beast, which co-stars Emma Watson as Belle and Dan Stevens as The Beast. Now we'll have a live-action Lion King to look forward to, and in the news break, Disney confirms that they are moving ahead with negotiations for The Jungle Book 2, also with Jon Favreau.
The biggest question will be timing. Favreau spent years working on The Jungle Book, because the CGI and green screen work needed to bring the animals to life acting alongside young actor Neel Sethi. And the story of The Lion King means that Favreau will have to create several CGI creatures, as well... in fact, 100% of them. But maybe the process that he perfected on The Jungle Book will allow him to work quicker? Hopefully not at the expense of quality.
Disney will have Beauty and the Beast in theaters in 2017, so it's POSSIBLE that this movie could make it into theaters by the end of 2018. We will continue to track all details on the movie, but with the studio confirming the news, we can officially get very excited for Favreau's interpretation of the classic Walt Disney story!
Disney, the only studio that solely remakes their own movies, even if it's technically the seventh film in a series. If there is ever one studio that is solely going for dollars with absolutely no credibility or artistic insight, it's Disney.
In all seriousness, while I hope it turns out well, I don't know if I'll be able to watch it. Normally, I have no problems with remakes/reboots/sequels for my favorite movies, but I just have too much emotion and personal anecdotes associated with the original for this to ever even come close to being good in my eyes. I'm more open to the other Disney live-action remakes because they have other source materials, but considering The Lion King was an original film (yes, I'm aware of the Hamlet correlations but it's not a direct adaptation), I don't see the purpose.
Disney, the only studio that solely remakes their own movies, even if it's technically the seventh film in a series. If there is ever one studio that is solely going for dollars with absolutely no credibility or artistic insight, it's Disney.
... but considering The Lion King was an original film (yes, I'm aware of the Hamlet correlations but it's not a direct adaptation), I don't see the purpose.
Um, one word : Kimba. The Lion King is a unofficial remake and a total rip-off. And yeah, it's also a fantastic Disney classic and one of the greatest animated movies of all time.
Disney, the only studio that solely remakes their own movies, even if it's technically the seventh film in a series. If there is ever one studio that is solely going for dollars with absolutely no credibility or artistic insight, it's Disney.
The Jungle Book was one of the limpest, blandest, most artificial live-action/CGI hybrids I've ever seen. Needless to say, as TLK is my favorite animated film, I'm not looking forward to this at all, not with Favreau at the helm.
The Lion King is my childhood, period. I enjoyed Favreau's Jungle Book as much as the original, so I'm curious to see what they do with this. I'd prefer them not even try, but we knew this was coming after the success of TJB.
The Lion King is my childhood, period. I enjoyed Favreau's Jungle Book as much as the original, so I'm curious to see what they do with this. I'd prefer them not even try, but we knew this was coming after the success of TJB.
If they do it, it's a long way off. Whole lot of films in the pipeline.
Speaking of, Queen of Katwe is supposed to be wonderful. Opening Friday, critical hit. Probably won't make any money despite the good reviews, like McFarland USA and Pete's Dragon, but it's apparently a film Disney can be proud of.
It was bound to happen one way or another. A live action for this would have such a grand scale though, with today's technology it's going to look impecable. It's one of my absolute favorite Disney animated films ever. A live action is totally welcome, of course hoping they know what they are doing.
It was bound to happen one way or another. A live action for this would have such a grand scale though, with today's technology it's going to look impecable. It's one of my absolute favorite Disney animated films ever. A live action is totally welcome, of course hoping they know what they are doing.
Unless they give the film a human element, or use actual animals or animatronics, this will be never be live-action. It'll just be a hyper-realistic animated film
Don't want to spoil the title. But how is it going to be a Live-Action, the only part of Jungle Book that was live action was the boy, and you don't have that in The Lion King?
A company bankrupt of imagination it seems BUT doing successful with the movies so good business for them and you'd do the same if being safe and 'boring' makes you billions year on year.
Don't want to spoil the title. But how is it going to be a Live-Action, the only part of Jungle Book that was live action was the boy, and you don't have that in The Lion King?
I don't know. Articles have live-action. I don't know what else to call it. CGI-hybrid?
Barring the Marvel movies, which at this point are an assembly line product, not films, Disney live action output consists of remakes of their animated "classics" or reboots of some kind. Jungle Book, Alice in Wonderland 1 & 2, Cinderella, Maleficent, and now The Lion King. And then there's Star Wars Episode VII: The Greatest Hits. It's like printing money, but it doesn't mean it's a worthy artistic venture.
The Jungle Book was one of the limpest, blandest, most artificial live-action/CGI hybrids I've ever seen. Needless to say, as TLK is my favorite animated film, I'm not looking forward to this at all, not with Favreau at the helm.
Yuck.
It's a wonderful movie -- Love and Friendship is my favorite film so far this year -- but I thought The Jungle Book was a great blend of Kipling and the 1967 animated feature. At any rate, it's an easy lock for visual f/x at the Oscars. My only gripe with it is a conventional third-act climax (same problem I had with Sully, which is otherwise a terrific film).
The Lion King is my favorite movie of all time (also the first film I ever saw in theaters). I grew up with it and it gets better each and every time I watch it.
I loved the live action Jungle Book, so I welcome this news with open arms, especially now that it will also have the songs included too. It ain't Lion King without Circle of Life or Hakuna Matata. It's going to be even more of a technical marvel if they manage to pull this off.
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The Lion King (2019)
The Lion King is a unofficial remake and a total rip-off. And yeah, it's also a fantastic Disney classic and one of the greatest animated movies of all time. 
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