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A new Disney prequel is on the horizon, Mufasa: The Lion King shocked many when it was first announced. Fans of the original 1994 animated film felt a prequel was unnecessary but the news had many others excited to meet the beloved animals of the Pride Lands once again.

However, one mystery surrounded the prequel ever since it was announced and that was the involvement of Pumbaa in the cast. Since the story follows a young Mufasa, viewers don’t understand what role could the warthog play in it. But fans would be shocked to know that even in The Lion King, Pumbaa’s role was a much-needed surprise, something voice actor Ernie Sabella was worried would not make it to the final script.

The importance of Disney’s only farting character Still from The Lion King | Credits: Walt Disney Studios

The Lion King was the studio’s masterpiece, a movie...

For thirty years, the kingdom of Pride Rock has entertained and amazed audiences young and old with tales of growth, courage, responsibility, and, of course, family. What began as a small idea has become one of Disney’s most recognizable properties worldwide, with multiple films, television shows, video games, and even stage musicals.

The story famously borrows heavily from Shakespeare, specifically from the tragedy Hamlet, but other biblical stories, such as Joseph and Moses, were also very influential.

The story focuses on Simba (Johnathan Taylor Thomas), a lion cub meant to be the next king of the Pride Lands after his father Mufasa’s (James Earl Jones) reign. Mufasa’s brother Scar (Jeremy Irons) wants the throne for himself and stages Mufasa’s death, making Simba believe he was responsible.

Simba runs away and meets Timon (Nathan Jones) and Pummba (Ernie Sabella), a meerkat and warthog who decide to raise...

Kim Kardashian & Kanye’s Daughter’s Lion King Debut Slammed Online(Photo Credit –Instagram)

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s daughter, North, was unfairly slammed online following a significant leap in her music career. On Saturday, May 25, 10-year-old North West made her stage debut as Young Simba in Disney’s The Lion King live concert at The Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.

Per Hollywood Bowl’s official site, Kim Kardashian and Kanye’s daughter would join Disney’s The Lion King 30th Anniversary – a Two-day Live-to-Film Concert Event alongside Heather Headley and Lebo M., as well as Jennifer Hudson. Franchise veterans Billy Eichner, Bradley Gibson, Ernie Sabella, Weaver, Jeremy Irons and Nathan Lane also appeared in the live concert.

While North’s performance received a standing ovation from the audience, some social media users on X slammed Kim and Kanye’s eldest daughter for snagging a coveted role.

Trending Kate Beckinsale...

North West, the 10-year-old daughter of Kim Kardashian and Kanye “Ye” West, was among the notable names who helped bring The Lion King to life in celebration of the original film’s 30th anniversary.

Disney honored the popular animated film Friday at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles with a screening of the film backed by a live orchestra, interspersed with live musical numbers that included performances originally seen in the Broadway stage production. The studio released the original movie in theaters on June 24, 1994.

north west sings “i just can’t wait to be king” from the lion king at the hollywood bowl on friday. the song was introduced as her “hollywood debut.” pic.twitter.com/rjeeGsWEZV

— Ryan Gajewski (@_RyanGajewski) May 25, 2024

North West performed “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King” onstage while dressed as young lion cub Simba. Jason Weaver, who performed the song in the original movie,...

Elton John was not feeling the original choices in The Lion King to sing his Oscar-winning ballad, Can You Feel The Love Tonight?

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Nathan Lane revealed that early versions of the animated classic saw Timon and Pumbaa singing all of Can You Feel the Love Tonight?

“Originally, we sang the whole thing,” Lane said. “Elton John was mortified that the warthog and the meerkat were singing it. He said, ‘The reason I wrote the score was because I wanted to have a Disney love song. I didn’t want it to be sung by the rat and the pig.'”

There is an original rat/pig version floating around with Lane and Ernie Sabella, who voiced Pumbaa.

“We did [record] a version,” Lane said. “We sang the whole thing in our character voices. It wasn’t like we were going to do our legit Broadway version.

Move over, Kanye West.

The rapper and Kim Kardashian’s daughter North West will make her Hollywood Bowl singing debut Friday at the first of the two-night “The Lion King” concert event. She will perform “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King.”

As previously reported, West will join “Lion King” veterans Nathan Lane, Billy Eichner, Jeremy Irons, Ernie Sabella, Heather Headley, Lebo M and Jason Weaver as well as Egot winner Jennifer Hudson.

A full orchestra is set to perform Hans Zimmer’s Oscar-winning musical score led by conductor Sarah Hicks. The song list featured Elton John and Tim Rice classics such as “Can You Feel The Love Tonight,” “Circle of Life,” “Be Prepared” and “Hakuna Matata.”

The shows will be filmed for later broadcast as “The Lion King at the Hollywood Bowl” on Disney+.

The celebration is presented by Disney Concerts, Fulwell 73 Productions, Amp Worldwide and Live Nation-Hewitt Silva.

Billy Eichner is finally getting to live out his childhood dream of a being in a major stage musical.

The “Bros” star is making his Hollywood Bowl singing debut this weekend during “The Lion King’s” 30th anniversary live-to-film concert.

“We just had our first official rehearsal all together this morning,” Eichner told me Wednesday afternoon. “The scope and size of it really knocked me out. If I can get through it, I think it’s going to be really fun.”

Eichner, who played Timon in the 2019 “Lion King” remake and reprises the role in the upcoming prequel film “Mufasa: The Lion King,” isn’t allowed to say what he’ll be performing. But it has already been announced that the two-night run — May 24 and 25 — will also feature “Lion King” veterans Nathan Lane, Jeremy Irons, Ernie Sabella, Heather Headley, Lebo M and Jason Weaver, as well as Egot winner Jennifer Hudson,...

While The Kardashians star, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s daughter, North West, has been spreading her wings into the life of child stardom, she is taking it a step further now. Notably, North has a knack for performing. From a young age, she loved being in the spotlight like her parents. But now, North is embracing a new role in an upcoming iconic Disney event.

Kim Kardashian And Kanye West Foster North West’s Child Star Career

Undoubtedly, The Kardashians star, Kim Kardashian, and her ex-husband, Kanye West, have been instrumental in aiding North West in her child star career pursuits. Not only are both parents famous themselves, but they have fostered North’s desires to perform since she was very little. However, in more recent years, her public appearances with Yeezy models and Kanye performing “Miss Westie” have added to her confidence to chase her budding career. Furthermore,...

Did the trailer for Mufasa make you nostalgic for Disney’s 1994 classic The Lion King? Me, too! To celebrate three decades of one of the studio’s best films, The Hollywood Bowl is hosting a live-to-film concert featuring several special guests!

For two nights only, the venue will present an “immersive live-to-film concert event featuring the original 1994 film roaring from the Bowl screens, live orchestra, fireworks, showstopping vocal performances of award-winning songs from the film, and special celebrity guests, including cast members from both the classic 1994 animated and 2019 films.”

Image Credit: Disney | The Hollywood Bowl

Members of the animated film’s original cast who are returning for the two dates are:

Nathan Lane Ernie Sabella Jeremy Irons

Timon, Pumbaa, and Scar?! Yes! As a bonus, some stars from the 2019 CGI remake will also be in attendance:

Billy Eichner Bradley Gibson Ernie Sabella Jason Weaver

The Hollywood Bowl teases that more...

The Kardashian-Jenners are not holding back in the season five trailer for The Kardashians.

The upcoming season of their Hulu series, which was filmed towards the end of 2023, gives insight into the pregnancy complications Kourtney Kardsahian Barker experienced with her now 6-month-old son Rocky. The cameras appeared to be rolling at the moment where Kourtney shared with her mom Kris Jenner over FaceTime that she had to go in for emergency surgery.

“This is really crazy, so I just want Kourtney to be Ok,” says an emotional Kris to the camera.

During her confessional, Kourtney delves into the alarming situation, with cameras capturing her at the hospital. “I had to go in for fetal surgery, which was terrifying,” she explains.

As fans have learned through the trailer, Kourtney was not the only one in the family who experienced a medical scare. “I had my scan…they found a cyst and like a little tumor,...

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s daughter, North West, is among the cast additions for a special concert celebrating The Lion King this May at the Hollywood Bowl.

Disney’s The Lion King 30th Anniversary – A Live-to-Film Concert Event will feature singers and actors from all three iterations of the beloved Disney franchise — the 1994 animated film, the 1998 Broadway musical, and the 2019 live-action remake — including original Scar actor Jeremy Irons, a pair of Timon actors (Billy Eichner and Nathan Lane), members of the Broadway cast, plus Jennifer Hudson and more.

It...

North West, the daughter of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, has joined the cast of Disney’s “The Lion King at the Hollywood Bowl,” a live concert event that will be filmed across two performances and released as a special on Disney+.

West is set to star alongside previously announced cast members Jeremy Irons, Nathan Lane, Billy Eichner, Ernie Sabella, Jason Weaver, Jennifer Hudson and Bradley GIbson. Broadway actress Heather Headley and Lebo M. round out the cast.

The shows will take place on May 24 and 25 in celebration of “The Lion King’s” 30th anniversary.

Disney Branded Television and Fulwell 73 Productions are on board to produce the show along with Amp Worldwide and Live Nation-Hewitt Silva. The performances will be captured for a Disney+ Original special “The Lion King at the Hollywood Bowl,” set to stream at a later date.

The special will celebrate the 30-year evolution of “The Lion King,...

North West, Broadway’s Heather Headley and Grammy winner Lebo M. have been added to the cast of Disney’s The Lion King 30th Anniversary – A Live-to-Film Concert Event, a musical concert set to run May 24-25 at the Hollywood Bowl.

They join previously announced cast and franchise veterans Billy Eichner, Bradley Gibson, Ernie Sabella, Jason Weaver, Jeremy Irons, Nathan Lane and special guest Jennifer Hudson for the two-night event, which will feature a full orchestra performing Hans Zimmer’s Oscar-winning score. The cast will perform songs and numbers featuring the Broadway show’s costumes, set design and puppetry.

Disney Concerts and Fulwell 73 Productions along with Amp Worldwide and Live Nation-Hewitt Silva, the team behind Disney’s Encanto at the Hollywood Bowl (four Emmy noms) and the Emmy-winning Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger Stadium, are producing the events. The footage will become part of a Disney+ Original special,...

The 30th anniversary of the original animated film version of “The Lion King” will be celebrated at the Hollywood Bowl next month with a live-to-film concert/screening that will include cast members from both the movie and theatrical versions — and beyond — including Jeremy Irons, Nathan Lane, Billy Eichner, Ernie Sabella, Jason Weaver and Bradley GIbson.

The shows will take place at the Bowl May 24-25 and be produced by Disney Concerts, Fulwell 73 Productions, Amp Worldwide and Live Nation-Hewitt Silva.

The general on-sale begins Friday at 10 a.m. via Ticketmaster, with an American Express cardholder presale starting Tuesday at 10 a.m.

“Disney’s The Lion King 30th Anniversary – A Live-to-Film Concert Event” will feature a full orchestra performing the Oscar-winning score composed by Hans Zimmer for the 1994 classic, conducted by Sarah Hicks. But the long tail that film has cast will be part of the celebration as well. The cast...

Hulu’s acclaimed “Only Murders in the Building,” currently vying for 11 Emmys, has gone all razzle dazzle in its third season. Make that rattle dazzle! Beleaguered Broadway director Oliver (Martin Short) was hoping for a comeback on the Great White Way with the mystery thriller “Death Rattle.” But when his leading man (Paul Rudd) is murdered, he decides to turn the straight play into a musical, “Death Rattle Dazzle!” And in the third episode, Meryl Streep’s nervous journeyman actress and Ashley Park’s leading lady performed the show-stopping ballad “Look for the Light” co-written by Sara Bareilles. One almost forgot the prime suspects in “Death Rattle Dazzle!” are the infant Pickwick triplets.

The 1959 multiple Tony winner “Redhead” also has a rather strange plot for a musical: a serial killer is stalking women in London in the 1880s during the time Jack the Ripper was terrorizing the city. Sounds like a real toe-tapper.

The Lion King is easily one of the most successful projects Elton John has been involved with. Not only is it considered one of Disney’s best soundtracks, but it also earned John his first Academy Award. It was a departure from John’s standard material since he had never written music for the stage or screen at that time in his career. It was also a shift for him, and one song from the Disney film made him question what he was doing.

‘Hakuna Matata’ from ‘The Lion King’ made Elton John question his career

Disney had a ton of success in the early 1990s with hit movies such as Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast. In 1994, the studio would release The Lion King, an animated musical that was their most successful film for a long time. Part of The Lion King’s success was due to its remarkable soundtrack,...

“The Lion King,” a Disney Media Franchise, commemorated its 26th anniversary this past June. It is a genuine archetypal that can captivate audiences of all ages. The first Lion King film in the series was produced in 1994.

According to Environment Weekly, there were more than 600 animators involved in the production of “The Lion King” including animators, technicians, and other crucial figures. In fact, every moment was arduously explored, reorganized, and refined again which cost a lot of money, time, and a lot of headaches. And here’s the result – the great movie “The Lion King.”

The key to its success comes from its skilfully constructed characters who frequently walk and act like their real-life equivalents. The real-life lions were brought to the studio for the animators to study.

Beyond expectations, “The Lion King” movie proved immensely profitable and is the best-selling VHS of all time. The Lion Guard is an...

I've watched babies who have yet to speak their first words sit in front of a TV or an iPad and break into laughter as they watch cartoons. Every time, I ask myself: How are they laughing when they don't even understand what's going on? I wonder if I did the same as a toddler. I'm sure I did. For a long time, I claimed "The Mask" starring Jim Carrey as one of my favorite movies from my childhood but couldn't tell you the plot.

But one movie I know for sure I didn't do that to is "The Lion King." The 1994 Disney classic became one of my lifelong favorites the first time I saw it. I followed the plot seamlessly. A prince lion cub who can't wait to be king of the jungle gets spooked away by his jealous, evil uncle, who murders the king and takes the throne.

The production trajectory for a Broadway musical is a unique beast. Shows are built with constant rewriting and retooling based on the people who come in and out of the production. After an endless collaborative parade of trials and errors lead to a finish product, you can put in front of an audience knowing everyone working on the project is on the same page and working towards the same goal. A lot of the time, people are cast as characters without material being written for them so the authors can write specifically to their strengths. In the audio commentary for the original Broadway stage...

The post How Nathan Lane And Ernie Sabella's Audition Changed The Lion King appeared first on /Film.

A line-up of nearly 30 stars – from Glenn Close, Patti LuPone, Darren Criss, Kelsey Grammar and David Alan Grier to Jake Gyllenhaal, Joshua Henry and Phillipa Soo – will perform title songs from more than 20 musicals for a special livestreamed musical event next month benefiting The Actors Fund.

The event, called Show of Titles, will feature title songs of Broadway musicals spanning nine decades, from “Lady Be Good” to “The Light in the Piazza.” In addition to the above-mentioned performers, the line-up includes Annaleigh Ashford, Len Cariou, Santino Fontana, Isabelle Huppert, Norm Lewis, Rob McClure, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Melba Moore, Jessie Mueller, Eva Noblezada, Kelli O’Hara, Laura Osnes, Steven Pasquale, Michael Rupert, Ernie Sabella, Lea Salonga, Will Swenson, Aaron Tveit, Leslie Uggams, Vanessa Williams and Patrick Wilson.

Making special appearances will be Broadway Inspirational Voices, Candice Bergen, Danny Burstein, Bryan Cranston, Sheldon Harnick, John Kander, Angela Lansbury, John Lithgow, Lindsay Mendez, Phylicia Rashad,...

[We're celebrating some of the most memorable horror and sci-fi movies of 1989 this month in Daily Dead's Class of 89 retrospective series! Check back on Daily Dead throughout the rest of August for more special features celebrating the 30th anniversaries of a wide range of horror and sci-fi films!]

Even as a kid, I was always super precious over my favorite horror movies. So, when Fright Night Part 2 was released, let’s just say that 11-year-old Heather was less than enthused. Thankfully, I’ve come to my senses over the last several decades and now recognize that the Fright Night sequel, when judged entirely by its own merits, is actually a super fun creature feature that exploits Charley Brewster’s healthy libido by utilizing a seductive temptress named Regine to torment him as he does his best to distance himself from the events of the original Fright Night in an effort to move forward with his life.

And that’s the thing I didn’t really understand at the time: that the world of Fright Night was moving forward, too, whether I was ready for it or not, and while it was a bitter pill for me to swallow some 30 years ago,...

Jon Favreau’s The Lion King may be making a killing at the box office – having already made over $700 million going into its second weekend – but it’s far from a critical hit.

Currently sitting at a splat-worthy 52% on Rotten Tomatoes, the photorealistic majesty of the animation seemed to act as a double-edged sword. Yes, it was revolutionary. But it also took a great deal away from what made the 1994 film a bonafide classic – including any physical display of emotion.

And from the looks of it, critics aren’t the only ones who share this opinion. Another habitant of the House of Mouse has made his disgruntled and disappointed voice heard, and it’s none other than Tony Bancroft, one of the two directors behind the 1998 picture, Mulan.

Taking to Twitter, he made sure his followers knew his blunt opinion of the film: underwhelmed. You can check out what he had to say below.

The original The Lion King movie is packed to the brim with quotable, memorable moments that every '90s kid knows by heart. The catchiest of them all, of course, is "Hakuna Matata," Timon and Pumbaa's peppy, hilarious ode to the worry-free life. The characters claim that the phrase "means no worries for the rest of your days," and they're actually right!

The lyric "hakuna matata" is a Swahili phrase, and it really does translate as "no worries!" According to a bonus feature on a special edition DVD of the original animated The Lion King, the creative team reportedly heard the phrase from a safari guide in Kenya while on a trip to do research. The pronunciation, however, is different in the movie than it is in Swahili (the "T" sound is apparently the key difference). The phrase intrigued the team for its opposition to the themes of royal responsibility...

Mark Harrison Jul 18, 2019

Sequels and spin-offs and remakes, oh my! We examine the many extensions of Disney's classic, from direct-to-video movies to TV spin-offs

This Lion King article comes from Den of Geek UK.

The Lion King was an enormous hit for Disney back in 1994, and 25 years later, it seems likely it will imminently be an enormous hit again. But between Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff’s animated favorite and Jon Favreau’s “live-action” remake, the House of Mouse has not shied away from turning it into a franchise with various sequels and TV shows.

At the time the animated version was originally released, the studio was riding high on the critical and financial success of its 1990s renaissance, which started with The Little Mermaid and arguably peaked here. Having only created one sequel up to this point (1990’s The Rescuers Down Under), the studio’s feature division didn...

Seth Rogen is stepping into The Twilight Zone. The star of Knocked Up and Neighbors will star in an upcoming episode of the CBS All Access revival of the classic sci-fi/fantasy franchise that became famous for its twist endings, eerie characters and unsettling theme song.

The Twilight Zone premieres on the subscription streaming site with two episodes on April 1, and more will follow beginning April 11, when weekly releases arrive every Thursday. No word yet on Rogen’s character nor any hints about the episode that he appears in. The April Fool’s Day launch of the series might suggest that one of the first episodes veers into humor; the original series had several light-hearted or comedic installments, among them the 1960 episode called “A World of His Own,” starring Keenan Wynn, and the 1963 episode “Cavender is Coming,” which featured a young Carol Burnett as well as a laugh track.

Rogen...

This article marks Part 21 of the Gold Derby series analyzing 84 years of Best Original Song at the Oscars. Join us as we look back at the timeless tunes recognized in this category, the results of each race and the overall rankings of the winners.

The 1994 Oscar nominees in Best Original Song were:

“Look What Love Has Done” from “Junior”

“Can You Feel the Love Tonight” from “The Lion King”

“Circle of Life” from “The Lion King”

“Hakuna Matata” from “The Lion King”

“Make Up Your Mind” from “The Paper”

Won: “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” from “The Lion King”

Should’ve won: “Circle of Life” from “The Lion King”

If there is any year in which a single film could and should have filled out the entire Best Original Song category at the Oscars, it is 1994.

Kudos to voters for nominating “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” “Circle of Life...

Disney has released the first teaser trailer for its much anticipated live action/CGI remake of “The Lion King,” thus continuing the circle of life for the beloved movie musical.

Released in 1994, “The Lion King” is a loose riff on William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.” The movie follows young lion cub Simba (Jonathan Taylor Thomas/Matthew Broderick) as he prepares to succeed his father, Mufasa (James Earl Jones), king of the Pride Lands. After Simba’s evil uncle Scar (Jeremy Irons) murders Mufasa, he convinces Simba to flee. With the help of jokesters Timon (Nathan Lane) and Pumbaa (Ernie Sabella), the cub grows up in exile, eventually returning to challenge Scar and reclaim his throne at the behest of his childhood friend, Nala (Moira Kelly).

“The Lion King” is primarily remembered for its original songs, which were written by composer Elton John and lyricist Tim Rice, with a score by Hans Zimmer.

The 1994 animated film The Lion King was a critical and commercial hit and beloved by families. The Disney movie won two Oscars and has grossed more than $968 million worldwide.

The animated version was directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff, with a voice cast that included Matthew Broderick, James Earl Jones, Jeremy Irons, Moira Kelly, Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, Robert Guillaume, Rowan Atkinson, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Madge Sinclair, Whoopi Goldberg and Cheech Marin.

In September 2016, it was announced that Disney is doing a CGI remake of the film with Jon Favreau set to direct. The cast of ...

The 1994 animated film The Lion King was a critical and commercial hit and beloved by families. The Disney movie won two Oscars and has grossed more than $968 million worldwide.

The animated version was directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff, with a voice cast that included Matthew Broderick, James Earl Jones, Jeremy Irons, Moira Kelly, Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, Robert Guillaume, Rowan Atkinson, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Madge Sinclair, Whoopi Goldberg and Cheech Marin.

In September 2016, it was announced that Disney is doing a CGI remake of the film with Jon Favreau set to direct. The cast of ...

Walt Disney was a canny marketer, cycling his films in and out of release, on and off television, through the years, recognizing it would appear fresh to younger viewers and fondly recalled by those at later stages in their lives. That practice has continued into the world of home video with the films on rotation and we’re now getting The Lion King: The Circle of Life Edition after having received Masterpiece Collection, Platinum Edition and Diamond Edition. The new edition is already available as Digital HD and hits disc today.

An interesting thing to consider about the story itself is that Simba is being trained by his father to one day succeed him as King. This connection with a parent and this effort towards being prepared to rule is entirely absent from any of the Disney Princess films.

Of course, the movie is a wildly entertaining musical which...

Simba just can't wait to be king—and E! News can't wait to show fans never-before-seen footage of The Lion King cast recording dialogue and music for the animated Disney classic! In celebration of the film's digital re-release on Aug. 15 and Blu-ray release on Aug. 29, check out an exclusive sneak peek of Rowan Atkinson, Jason Weaver and Laura Williams recording "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" for the film's soundtrack. Released in 1994, the number was written by Elton John and Tim Rice for Zazu (Atkinson), Simba (Weaver) and Nala (Williams) to perform. The behind-the-scenes bonus clip also offers a glimpse of Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella and Jonathan Taylor Thomas recording bits of...

Author: Scott Davis

It’s our problem-free philosophy, so they say. Pre-production has begun at Disney on their latest and highly anticipated live-action remake of The Lion King, which is being directed by Jon Favreau who made last year’s The Jungle Book remake for the studio.

After the success of Jungle Book and Beauty and the Beast (the latter of which has just passed the $1billion at the worldwide box office), many of the studio’s animated classics are getting the remake treatment but the story of the young cub who became King of Pride Rock is perhaps the most eagerly-awaited. And work is cranking up on the film with casting and The Wrap has reported that the comedic duo of Timon and Pumbaa have been found in the form of Seth Rogen (Sausage Party) and Billy Eichner (American Horror Story).

The actors, who co-starred in last year’s Bad Neighbours 2,...

Whenever Disney decides to revisit one of its previous successes, it runs a huge risk. Will audiences connect with the new film the way they did with the old one? Could they even hope to capture a fraction of what they did in that original take? That was the case with this year’s Beauty and the Beast, and while it wasn’t a perfect film, it seems like the House of Mouse is doing a pretty solid job adapting their films for a modern audience. One of the many big films that is on the horizon is Jon Favreau’s The Lion King.

The film already has two characters officially cast. Taking on Simba is Lando Calrissian himself Donald Glover, and returning to play Mufasa is the man himself, James Earl Jones. There are, however, still a ton of iconic actors needing to be cast, many of whom have...

 Hakuna matata! According to The Wrap, director Jon Favreau and Disney have cast Billy Eichner (Billy in the Street, Bob's Burgers) and Seth Rogen (You all know who he is) as Timon and Pumbaa in the upcoming feature film adaptation of The Lion King. The two actors recently worked together in the comedy Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising.

They seem like a solid pair of comedic talent to voice these popular characters. It's not hard to imagine them providing the voices of them, that's for sure. The two characters were originally wonderfully voiced by Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella. It will be interesting to see what Rogen and Eichner end up doing with the characters to make them their own.

Rogen and Eichner join the previously cast Donald Glover in the lead role of Simba, and James Earl Jones will be reprising his role as Simba's father Mufasa.

What do you...

Seth Rogen and Billy Eichner might be Disney’s next farting, Hakuna Matata-quoting warthog and meerkat team, with reports coming today that the two comic actors are in talks to play Pumbaa and Timon in Jon Favreau’s upcoming Lion King remake. The Wrap quotes anonymous sources who say the two are in “final negotiations” for the parts; if so, they’d be taking the place of Ernie Sabella and Nathan Lane, who originated the roles in the 1994 original.

We’ll be honest, though: This feels a little bit too much like “no duh” casting for us to wholeheartedly buy into its veracity. (That is, if someone asked you who should play a high-pitched, excitable meerkat in 2017, Billy Eichner’s the guy you’d skip over for being too obvious.) But it’s not like Favreau hasn’t been pulling out all the stops in the casting for ...

The Lion Guard is a somewhat surprisingly good show airing on Disney Junior, and the story of Kion and his friends continues with a new DVD release The Lion Guard: Unleash the Power.

The release is the first collection of episodes available on DVD, and it’s not only a good selection because these are episodes that focus on the individual members of the Guard, but because these are some of the series’ most rewatchable efforts.

The show is not just a fun adventure for kids, but the series takes on a broad range within its episodic content, tackling some tricky issues, without actually decoding its own efforts and bogging down in overt explanation.

For example, the episode Fuli’s New Family spans a variety of issues, but chief among them is an examination of the idea that just because doing something seems objectively “right,” or, “how friends act,...

James Earl Jones is continuing the circle of life, returning as Mufasa for "The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar," on DVD February 23!

James Earl Jones returns to the role of Mufasa for Disney’s epic adventure “The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar,” a new feature on DVD February 23. Joining Jones is another Lion King alum, Ernie Sabella, reprising his role as Pumbaa, in this adventure full of humor, music, and beloved characters for the whole family. The film follows the second-born cub of Simba (voice of Rob Lowe) and Nala (voice of Gabrielle Union), Kion (voice of Max Charles), and his Lion Guard team up as they embark on adventures together throughout the Pride Lands! Follow him as he brings together a group of unlikely heroes: Bunga the honey badger (voice of Joshua Rush), Fuli the cheetah (voice of Diamond White), Beshte the hippo (voice of Dusan Brown...

A review of tonight's "The Leftovers" coming up just as soon as I ask you something stupid... "Have you ever heard of someone being responsible for someone's Departure?" -Nora When "The Leftovers" replaced its original theme song this season with Iris DeMent's "Let the Mystery Be," it was the show's most explicit statement yet not to expect any kind of concrete explanations for the Sudden Departure. At the same time, season 2 opened with plenty of new mysteries about life in and around Jarden, with images like Jerry slaughtering a goat in the diner, or the woman posing for photos in her wedding gown, or Erika digging up the box with the bird all raising questions we probably shouldn't have expected the show to answer. Yet it has, to varying degrees. Two weeks ago, Patti told Kevin that Evie and her friends Departed, though there remains the very large question...

A review of tonight's fantastic "You're the Worst" coming up just as soon as I begin my annual "Arliss" rewatch... I think back to the summer of 2014, and how quick I was to dismiss "You're the Worst" when it debuted, and I am so damn relieved that the raves of friends and other critics convinced me to give it a second chance. Because if I'd stopped watching it after the pilot and chalked it up as another Peak TV in America victim (before John Landgraf had even coined the phrase), I would have never gotten to see an episode as wonderful as "There Is Not Currently a Problem." This was nearly all that's remarkable about the series in miniature: most of the notable characters (save Sam's crew and Becca Barbara) all in one place for a bottle episode that was largely absurd, like Vernon's constant use of "whack" and Jimmy...

"It is time!" Disney makes the announcement in its new teaser for "The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar," the "Lion King" sequel coming to the Disney Channel on Sunday, November 22. The movie event will lead into "The Lion Guard" TV series, which will premiere in early 2016.

"The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar" introduces Kion, the second-born cub of Simba and Nala, who is destined to become leader of the Lion Guard. The Lion Guard is like the African savanna's version of The Avengers, a team of animals made up of the Pride Lands' fiercest, bravest, fastest, strongest and keenest of sight. As Kion looks to assemble new members, he doesn't call upon a group of lions to serve with him as tradition dictates, but instead chooses some of his friends whom he believes best exemplify these heroic qualities -- Bunga, a fearless honey badger; Fuli, a confident cheetah; Beshte,...

Mark Harrison Oct 11, 2019

From Men In Black to Free Willy and Jumanji, here's how these '90s movie properties ended up as Saturday morning cartoons.

As wise old Yogurt tells the heroes in Spaceballs, the money is really made in the merchandising of a movie, parodying the revolutionary drive for tie-in products and media that followed George Lucas' savvy handling of Star Wars. Yogurt's prophecy fulfilled itself when the film's writers Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan oversaw a short-lived and underwhelming spin-off, Spaceballs: The Animated Series in 2008.

When the film was originally released in 1987, the writing was already on the wall and one way in which studios could exploit their properties under the banner of an expanded universe was through animated spinoffs aimed at youngsters, with a view to selling toys and cereal based on that property too.

This was especially common with movies released in the 1990s, even...

"The Lion King" is getting a made-for-tv sequel: "The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar" will premiere this November, ahead of the premiere of "The Lion Guard," the Disney Channel's Lion King television series. The movie and TV series will feature Rob Lowe as the voice of Simba and "Being Mary Jane" actress Gabrielle Union as the voice of Nala. Child actor Max Charles ("The Strain") is on tap as Kion, the second-born kid, er, cub of Simba and Nala. The first clip to arrive from the "Return of the Roar" movie is above. According to the Disney Insider blog: The clip cannily sums up the premise of the new film (and eventual series), with Kion (voiced by Max Charles) leading a group of animals called The Lion Guard. Traditionally, this group has been comprised of the bravest, fastest and strongest animals of the Pride Lands, but Kion “breaks...

Disney has released the first clip from Disney Channel's "The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar," a primetime TV movie event coming this November that continues on events of "The Lion King".

The story follows Kion, the second-born cub of Simba and Nala, as he assumes the role of leader of the Lion Guard, a team of African Savannah animals tasked with preserving the Pride Lands. The telemovie serves as a pilot for a new "The Lion Guard" TV series which will kick off early next year.

James Earl Jones and Ernie Sabella reprise their roles from "The Lion King" as Mufasa and Pumbaa. Also onboard is Rob Lowe as Simba, Gabrielle Union as Nala, Max Charles as Kion, Joshua Rush as Kion's honey badger best friend Bunga, Atticus Shaffer as the intellectual egret Ogo, Diamond White as confident cheetah Fuli, and Dusan Brown as the good-spirited hippo Beshte.

The Lion Guard: Return Of The Roar, a TV movie precursor to the upcoming The Lion Guard TV series, is set to premiere in November on Disney Channel with Rob Lowe, Gabrielle Union, Max Charles, Atticus Shaffer and Sarah Hyland among the voice cast. James Earl Jones and Ernie Sabella reprise their roles from the related The Lion King as Mufasa and Pumbaa, respectively. The movie, a continuing of The Lion King tale, follows Kion, the second-born cub of Simba and Nala, as he…...

Disney has announced a new sequel to The Lion King which will see the return of James Earl Jones as Mufasa.

The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar will premiere on the Disney Channel in November and act as a precursor to the previously-announced Lion Guard series.

The Lion King 3D - movie review

"The movie follows Kion, the second-born cub of Simba and Nala, as he assumes the role of leader of the Lion Guard, a team of animals tasked with preserving the Pride Lands," said Disney.

Ernie Sabella will also return as Pumbaa, while Rob Lowe replaces Matthew Broderick as Simba and Gabrielle Union replaces Moira Kelly as Nala.

Max Charles plays Kion and Joshua Rush plays Kion's best friend - a honey badger called Bunga.

Walt Disney Company is 90: The best movies

Atticus Shaffer plays intellectual egret Ono, Dimaond White plays confident ceetah Fuli and...

Rob Lowe and Gabrielle Union will be showing more pride in their work than usual with their latest project. Lowe and Union have joined the cast of “The Lion King: Return of the Roar,” an animated primetime movie premiering on the Disney Channel in November. The cast also includes Max Charles and Atticus Shaffer, with James Earl Jones and Ernie Sabella reprising their “Lion King” roles of Mufasa and Pumbaa, respectively. ' The new offering follows Kion (“The Strain” star Charles), the second-born cub of Simba (Lowe) and Nala (Union), as.

James Earl Jones will once again voice the late lion king Mufasa in The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar, an original movie airing on Disney Channel this November and setting the stage for the upcoming Disney Channel/Disney Junior series The Lion Guard.

Similarly, The Lion King‘s Ernie Sabella will reprise the voice of Pumbaa, while new castings include Rob Lowe (Parks and Recreation) as Simba, Gabrielle Union (Being Mary Jane) as Nala and Max Charles (The Neighbors) as their second-born cub Kion.

RelatedDisney Junior to Unleash Lion King Sequel Series

The movie follows Kion as he...

What do you get when you mix The Lion King with Rob Lowe?  We don't know, but we sure can't wait to find out! We've always been kind of in love with the grown-up version of Simba, but now we've got even more fuel to add to that weird and confusing fire with the fact that Lowe will be voicing the famous king of the lions in the upcoming TV movie, The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar. Lowe is joined by Gabrielle Union, who plays his lion wife Nala, and fellow cast members Sarah Hyland, Max Charles (The Strain), Atticus Shaffer (The Middle) and many more. James Earl Jones will be reprising his role as Mufasa (who lives on in spirit), and Ernie Sabella will be returning as...

Hakuna matata, everybody! "The Lion King" is returning -- it's the circle of life after all -- with a primetime TV movie this November on the Disney Channel. Disney/ABC just shared details on "The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar," which will follow Kion, the second-born cub of Simba and Nala, as he assumes the role of leader of the Lion Guard, a team of animals tasked with preserving the Pride Lands. This movie event will lead into "The Lion Guard" TV series, premiering in early 2016 on Disney Channels and Disney Junior channels.

A special preview of "The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar" will be presented at Disney's D23 Expo on Sunday, August 16.

Here are more cast and plot details from Disney:

James Earl Jones and Ernie Sabella reprise their roles from "The Lion King" as Mufasa and Pumbaa, alongside Rob Lowe ("The Grinder") as Simba and...

Sequels and spinoffs are all the rage on the big screen these days, but the news that Disney is moving forward with a Frozen 2 still comes as something of a surprise considering the studio has been reticent to pump out theatrically-released follow-ups to its biggest hits - only The Three Caballeros, The Rescuers Down Under, Fantasia 2000 and Winnie the Pooh are part of the Disney Animated Canon.

However, throughout the '90s and '00s Disney had a lucrative side-business in direct-to-video sequels that were turned around quickly and cheaply and made the studio a fast buck. Many execs felt that these cheapened the originals and John Lasseter put the brakes on them, although the recent Tinker Bell films (branching out from Peter Pan) have their roots in this release model.

Digital Spy revisits 13 of Disney's most unnecessary straight-to-video sequels below:

Aladdin: The Return of Jafar (1994)

The very first...