It seems like studios in Hollywood are enjoying rebooting animated films as live-action adaptations, because The Lion King is the latest to receive the human treatment after Maleficent, Cinderella, The Jungle Book, and Beauty and the Beast.
Excited for my next project ????????
— Jon Favreau (@Jon_Favreau) September 28, 2016
The news was announced last night when director Jon Favreau tweeted that he’s excited for his new project, followed by an emoji of a lion and a crown. Favreau directed the adaptation of The Jungle Book, which became a critical and commercial success.
The live adaptation of The Lion King has no release date, but is reported to include songs from the film.
The Lion King is inspired by William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, and follows a kingdom of lions in Africa. It tells the story of Simba, a lion cub who is supposed to succeed his father Mufasa as king. When his uncle Scar kills Mufasa, the cub thinks he is responsible and flees. Scar becomes king until Simba grows up and challenges Scar to end his rule and take his rightful place.
The film was released in 1994 to critical acclaim. It was the the highest-grossing release of the year and the second highest-grossing film of all time. It went on to win two Academy Awards for Best Original Score by Hans Zimmer and Best Original Song with “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” by Elton John and Tim Rice. It also won two Golden Globes for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and Best Original Score.
Three years later, a Broadway musical premiered, winning six Tony awards. It has given more than 6,700 performances, becoming Broadway’s third longest-running show in history and the highest grossing Broadway production of all time, having grossed more than $1 billion.
Are you excited for the live-action adaptation of The Lion King? Share your thoughts below!
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