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Tag: lion king

  • BREAKING: Disney Releases First Full Trailer for ‘The Lion King’ Live-Action Remake

    BREAKING: Disney Releases First Full Trailer for ‘The Lion King’ Live-Action Remake

    Disney has just released the first full length trailer for Jon Favreau’s upcoming live-action “Lion King” adaptation and it’s a thing of pride!

    The new clip, featuring amazingly realistic footage of the African savannah filled with giraffes, antelopes, and zebras, begins with Simba getting some advice from his wicked uncle Scar.

    Get your first look at the entire trailer below:

    “Life’s not fair is it, my little friend?” Scar asks a timid Simba. “While some are born to feast, others spend their lives in the dark, begging for scraps.”

    Mufasa then offers some sage wisdom, telling Simba: “You must take your place in the circle of life.”

    “Everything you see exists together in a delicate balance,” Mufasa says. “While others search for what they can take, a true king searches for what he can give.”

    The trailer also features the first, albeit brief, taste of a musical number. The clip ends with Timbon and Pumbaa singing “A-weema-weh, a-weema-weh, a-weema-weh, a-weema-weh” from “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.”

    Donald Glover leads the cast as young Lion Simba who loses his dad, while Beyonce — who is credited in the trailer with her last name, Knowles — voices Nala, a childhood friend and later love interest to Simba. The cast includes James Earl Jones reprising his role from the 1994 animated film as Simba’s father Mufasa, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Simba’s villainous uncle Scar, Alfre Woodard as Simba’s mother Sarabi, with child actor JD McCrary playing the young version of Simba. Shahadi Wright Joseph is voicing the young Nala, while John Kani voices the baboon Rafiki and John Oliver playing Mufasa’s confidant, the hornbill Zazu.

    The Lion King is just one of several remakes Disney has on the docket, including Lady in the Tramp for its Disney+ streaming service and Tim Burton’s Dumbo, which bows March 29, 2019. Favreau previously had huge success with his remake of The Jungle Book, which grossed $966 million globally.

    The original Lion King grossed more than $968 million worldwide and featured memorable songs from Elton John and Tim Rice. Favreau’s Lion King is set to open July 19, 2019.

  • Petition Calls for Disney to Drop ‘Hakuna Matata’ Trademark

    Petition Calls for Disney to Drop ‘Hakuna Matata’ Trademark

    A petition started online is calling for Disney to let go of its trademark of the Swahili phrase “Hakuna Matata.”

    The petition was started by Zimbabwean activist Shelton Mpala and states that “Disney can’t be allowed to trademark something that it didn’t invent.” It has already received more than 100,000 signatures.

    The phrase roughly translates to “no problems” or “no worries” and is a common expression in parts of eastern and southern Africa. It is best known as a song in Disney’s 1994 hit movie “The Lion King” and according to the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the company trademarked the expression the same year.

    In an interview withh CNN, Mpala says he started the petition “to draw attention to the appropriation of African culture and the importance of protecting our heritage, identity and culture from being exploited for financial gain by third parties.”

    “This plundered artwork serves to enrich or benefit these museums and corporations and not the creators or people it’s derived from,” Mpala said.

    Liz Lenjo, a Kenyan intellectual property and entertainment lawyer, disagrees with the petition. Lenjo said Disney “has not stolen anything” and the outrage over the trademark is misplaced. The blame should go to social media for “blowing things out of proportion” Lenjo said.

    “The use of ‘Hakuna Matata’ by Disney does not take away the value of the language,” Lenjo says. “East Africans or whoever speaks Swahili worldwide are not restricted from using the phrase.

    “She added: “The conversation on the internet has been blowing up because of a misconception and misunderstanding around intellectual property law, the ethos behind intellectual property law and the various regimes of protection.”

    Disney has not responded to the petition. A remake of the “The Lion King” is due for release in 2019.

  • First ‘The Lion King’ Live-Action Teaser Trailer Released

    First ‘The Lion King’ Live-Action Teaser Trailer Released

    There is so much to give thanks for this Thanksgiving, but this news deserves a special thanks.  Disney has just released the first teaser trailer for Jon Favreau’s upcoming live-action “Lion King” adaptation and it’s a thing of pride!

    Disney released the teaser trailer on Thursday as part of the Thanksgiving football festivities, replicating the opening scene of the beloved 1994 original animated film.

    “Everything the light touches is our kingdom,” says Mufusa (James Earl Jones) in a voiceover, as the camera pans over the African wilderness. Take a look at the trailer below:

    Last summer at D23, Favreau first showed off footage from The Lion King including photo-real landscapes and Rafiki introducing baby Simba on Pride Rock, but now we get to see the real thing.

    Donald Glover leads the cast as young Lion Simba who loses his dad, while Beyonce — who is credited in the trailer with her last name, Knowles — voices Nala, a childhood friend and later love interest to Simba. The cast includes James Earl Jones reprising his role from the 1994 animated film as Simba’s father Mufasa, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Simba’s villainous uncle Scar, Alfre Woodard as Simba’s mother Sarabi, with child actor JD McCrary playing the young version of Simba. Shahadi Wright Joseph is voicing the young Nala, while John Kani voices the baboon Rafiki and John Oliver playing Mufasa’s confidant, the hornbill Zazu.

    The Lion King is just one of several remakes Disney has on the docket, including Lady in the Tramp for its Disney+ streaming service and Tim Burton’s Dumbo, which bows March 29, 2019. Favreau previously had huge success with his remake of The Jungle Book, which grossed $966 million globally.

    The original Lion King grossed more than $968 million worldwide and featured memorable songs from Elton John and Tim Rice. Favreau’s Lion King is set to open July 19, 2019.

  • 20 Years After Its Debut, ‘The Lion King’ on Broadway Still Reigns Supreme

    20 Years After Its Debut, ‘The Lion King’ on Broadway Still Reigns Supreme

    On Monday, November 13, The Lion King reaches a historic landmark, officially marking its 20th anniversary on Broadway. The blockbuster musical’s legacy endures around the world, with 24 global productions since its debut, and Disney Theatrical Productions is celebrating this monumental anniversary in New York City, with the production that started it all.

    In honor of the milestone, a free performance of the show will be held at the Minskoff Theatre in New York City on November 15; it was preceded by a special event and ticket lottery in Times Square on November 12. “Though it’s been seen around the world, The Lion King was born in New York City—from the studio in the Flatiron district where we rehearsed, to the Bronx shop where its sets were built, to its Broadway home in the heart of Times Square,” said Thomas Schumacher President & Producer, Disney Theatrical Productions. “This free performance is our chance to thank New York City for 20 years of loving support and we hope audiences who could otherwise not experience Julie Taymor’s glorious vision will join us to toast the show born here in their hometown.”

    And, on November 5, Tony nominated composer Elton John surprised an audience of hundreds of Lion King alumni and members of the creative team, including Julie Taymor, Tim Rice, Garth Fagan, Lebo M., Mark Mancina, Roger Allers, and Irene Mecchi at a celebratory event with a performance of “Circle of Life,” joined by the entire company of The Lion King.

    Following the success of the Oscar®-winning 1994 film, The Lion King debuted on November 13, 1997 at Broadway’s New Amsterdam Theatre. That same year, the stage musical won the Tony Award for best musical and director Julie Taymor became the first woman in theatrical history to win the Tony for Best Director of a Musical. Twenty years later, The Lion King is the third longest-running musical in Broadway history and continues to be a worldwide phenomenon.

    Globally, The Lion King has played on every continent except Antarctica. It has been seen in more than 100 cities in 19 countries, with nine current productions worldwide. The musical been translated into nine different languages, including Mandarin during its run at Shanghai Disney Resort. More than 90 million people have seen The Lion King, making it the highest-grossing entertainment title in box office history.