We’re feeling the love thanks to these brand-new The Lion King photos.
Entertainment Weekly just debuted a series of exclusive photos from the live-action reboot. The Instagram slideshow features six close-up shots of the animal characters that were brought to life using CGI, and damn, our 1994 VHS version doesn’t even compare.
The first pic features Mufasa and young Simba, while another introduces Pumbaa and Timon. The next photo teases Scar and his pack of hyenas—Azizi, Shenzi and Kamari—followed by a shot of Rafiki reflecting. The last picture shows the animals gathering for Simba’s iconic introduction to the world, and the “Circle of Life” chant is already stuck in our head.
The Lion King features an all-star voice cast, including James Earl Jones (Mufasa), Donald Glover (Simba), Beyoncé (Nala), JD McCrary (young Simba), Shahadi Wright Joseph (young Nala), Seth Rogen (Pumbaa), Billy Eichner (Timon), Chiwetel Ejiofor (Scar), Eric André (Azizi), Florence Kasumba (Shenzi), Keegan-Michael Key (Kamari), John Oliver (Zazu), Alfre Woodard (Sarabi), Florence Kasumba (Shenzi) and John Kani (Rafiki).
The reboot is directed by Jon Favreau (Avengers: Endgame) and written by Jeff Nathanson (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales).
Earlier this month, Disney released the first full-length trailer for the highly anticipated movie, which gave viewers a first look at the CGI-talking animals. The teaser broke the record for the most-watched trailer in the company’s history in its first 24 hours, so we can only imagine what’s in store for the global premiere on July 19, 2019.
If you need us, we’ll be practicing our “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” harmonies.
