After the massive success of live-action remakes like The Jungle Book and Beauty and the Beast, it was a no-brainer for Disney to next tackle one of their most beloved films to date – 1994 classic The Lion King. With Jon Favreau attached to direct, the project has been amassing its cast for the past few months. Donald Glover’s signed up to voice Simba, with James Earl Jones reprising his role as Simba’s father, Mufasa. More recently, Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen were revealed to be playing meerkat/warthog double act Timon and Pumbaa.
The latest casting announcement comes courtesy of The Wrap, who are reporting that the studio have finally found their Scar. Though Hugh Jackman was rumored to be taking on the role, we’re now learning that it’ll be Chiwetel Ejiofor, last seen in Marvel’s Doctor Strange, who voices the iconic villain in the upcoming remake.
Having shown off his singing chops before in Kinky Boots, he’s an interesting if unexpected pick for the part. He’ll have big shoes to fill as well, following in the footsteps of Jeremy Irons, who played Scar in the 1994 original. Ejiofor’s a talented individual though and we’re confident he’ll be able to nail the role. All things considered, he’s yet another solid addition to what’s shaping up into an all-star cast, and with Favreau at the helm, we have every reason to believe the Mouse House has another surefire hit on their hands here.
The Lion King is just one of a whole host of classic Disney animated properties being given live-action remakes. Others on the way include Dumbo, Mulan and Aladdin. The tale of the flying elephant is first out the door, with a release date of March 29th, 2019. The story of Simba and his pals is then set to land in cinemas on July 19th.