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When the original Lion King (1994) film (directed by Rob Minkoff and Roger Allers) debuted nearly 30 years ago, it was an instant hit.
Audiences loved the story of young Simba, the noble King Mufasa (played by the legendary James Earl Jones), and his evil uncle Scar.
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The characters, the music, and the setting were so well-received that the original Lion King film inspired multiple sequels, spin-offs, TV shows, stage musicals, theme park attractions, and recently, a live-action remake directed by Jon Favreau.
It seems that kids simply cannot get enough of The Lion King, even over twenty years later. Now, history seems to be repeating itself with Jon Favreau’s live-action Lion King (2019) film.
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Did you know there’s an entire division in the Walt Disney Company focusing on the live-action remakes? It’s true! The executive in charge of this division, Sean Bailey, recently gave a detailed interview with the New York Times, discussing some of the company’s tactics when it comes to re-imagining classic titles.
As it turns out, the financial success of the live-action Lion King was enough to inspire Bailey to approve of creating an entire cinematic universe revolving around the classic Disney tale.
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With all of the material the original Lion King film inspired, such as The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride (1998), The Lion King 1 ½ (2004), and the Lion Guard (2016 – present), there’s certainly enough to work with.
Not only that, but another film in the potential Lion King cinematic universe is scheduled to come out in 2024, Mufasa: The Lion King.
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Depending on the success of this prequel, a live-action Lion King cinematic universe could be one of Disney’s upcoming projects.
