'The Lion King' Remake News, Cast: Movie Finds Actors for Simba and Mufasa
Disney and the rest of the production team behind the upcoming live-action movie remake of "The Lion King" have found the actors to play the roles of Simba and Mufasa.
Known for drawing bits of inspiration from the story of Shakespeare's "Hamlet," "The Lion King" is one of the classic animated titles released by Walt Disney Pictures. Many Disney fans loved the story of the young Simba and his journey to claiming his rightful place in the kingdom of lions in Africa.
On Friday, Disney announced that actors Donald Glover and James Earl Jones have been cast to play Simba and Mufasa, respectively. The two notable actors are the first few names confirmed to join the live-action "Lion King" remake with Jon Favreau taking the director's seat.
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It is also important to note that Jones is the original voice actor for Mufasa in the 1994 release of "Lion King."
In their official statement, Disney conveyed their excitement after sealing the deal with Glover and Jones to take their respective roles. They have also noted that Favreau's work with "The Jungle Book" definitely explains the hype and high expectations on how the "Lion King" remake could turn out.
Disney adds: "We are so excited to see more of what is sure to be a breathtaking visual story, as Favreau and The Lion King team bring a photorealistic life to the story of Simba, building on the groundbreaking technology used in The Jungle Book. Combined with amazing voice talent like James Earl Jones and Donald Glover, we're sure to be in for an amazing experience."
"The Jungle Book" was, without a doubt, a box office success with a worldwide gross of more than $966 million from a budget of $175 million. The movie starred some of the biggest names in the entertainment business such as Scarlett Johansson, Idris Elba, Lupita Nyong'o, Ben Kingsley, Bill Murray and more.
For the "Lion King" live-action remake, Favreau posted about his own excitement on his Twitter page. In one post, he shared an interesting photo of Glover with the caption, "I just can't wait to be king. #Simba"
A few minutes later, Favreau also posted a tweet as a nod to the return of Jones to the "Lion King" world. The director shared a photo of the actor with the caption, "Looking forward to working with this legend. #Mufasa"
Disney has yet to announce when the "Lion King" remake would open in theatres. And considering that they have a busy lineup of movies, it might not be any time soon.
However, Cinemablend has previously reported that, after an interview with Favreau, "Lion King" might take an earlier release date over "The Jungle Book 2."
