Get ready to roar! The circle of live-action Disney remakes keeps getting bigger. The entertainment giant announced on Wednesday, September 28, that the studio is currently working on a CG-assisted reboot of 1994’s classic 2-D-animated film The Lion King. (Relive the magic in the clip above!)
“The Lion King builds on Disney’s success of reimagining its classics for a contemporary audience with films like Maleficent, Cinderella and The Jungle Book,” the company said on its website. “The upcoming Beauty and the Beast, starring Emma Watson as Belle, is already one of the most anticipated movies of 2017. Like Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King will include songs from the animated film.”
Disney has chosen filmmaker Jon Favreau to oversee the project. The former actor — who has starred in films such as Iron Man and The Avengers — most recently produced 2016’s The Jungle Book, a modern take on the 1967 movie that incorporated real-life actors and 3-D-animated animals.
The Lion King — which has also been reimagined as a six-time Tony award-winning Broadway show, which opened in 1997 — is the top grossing animated movie of all time. According to Disney’s announcement, the Oscar-winning film earned over $968.8 million worldwide, including $422.8 million domestically.
Favreau, 49, took to Twitter on Wednesday morning to let his followers know that he is thrilled to be bringing Simba, Mufasa and Scar’s epic story to life. “Excited for my next project,” he wrote, accompanied by a lion and crown emojis.
Excited for my next project ??
— Jon Favreau (@Jon_Favreau) September 28, 2016
Fans also shared their excitement via social media. @Jon_Favreau developing Disney’s LION KING a la THE JUNGLE BOOK? Excellent!!!” one Tweeter wrote, while another enthused: “Awesome!! Jungle Book was fantastic, so I can’t wait to see Lion King!”