The Lion King's second trailer shows Simba finding his place in the Circle of Life
Walt Disney's classic take on William Shakespeare's 'Hamlet' by retelling the story through the perspective of a lion's kingdom in Africa, is finally coming to live-action. After the first trailer of the Jon Favreau directed movie which had introduced us to Simba and along with him, the wide grasslands that is meant to be his kingdom, the second trailer brings us closer to the Circle of Life. 'The Lion King' is the third of four live-action reimaginings that Disney is planning to release in 2019 along with 'Dumbo', 'Aladdin', and 'Maleficent: Mistress of Evil'.
The latest trailer opens with Chiwetel Ejiofor's Scar telling Simba about the difference between those who feast and those who are left in the darkness. As we already know, Simba encounters his evil uncle Scar during one of his adventures with Nala and Zazu, and it is at this moment when Simba is left to decide whether to rule the kingdom or flee. We also hear James Earl Jones' Mufasa showing Simba the whole of his kingdom. Recalling one of the most iconic moments of the 1994 animated movie, this scene follows gradually leads us to the part where Mufasa and Simba fall into Scar's trap and then we all know the tragic incidents that follow.
This scene, be it in the animated movie or the upcoming live-action movie holds immense significance in 'The Lion King' since this is the time when Simba is introduced to the Circle of Life. As we know that for a brief period of his life, he remained estranged from every responsibility, he finally completes his own cycle by coming back to Pride Rock and reclaiming the place which his father had left for him. 'The Lion King' is one of the most anticipated movies this year, and along with Earl Jones and Ejiofor, it features several other stars who have lent their voices to the characters, including Donald Glover as Simba, Seth Rogen as Pumbaa, Billy Eichner as Timon, Beyonce as Nala, Alfre Woodard as Sarabi and John Oliver as Zazu.
'The Lion King' is Favreau's second Disney live-action adaptation after 2016's 'The Jungle Book', which had featured child actor Neel Sethi alongside VFX animals. Quite similarly, 'The Lion King' is completely animated using photorealistic computer visual effects. While 'The Jungle Book' had taken home an Oscar for Best Visual Effects, the stakes are already pretty high for 'The Lion King', and hopefully, it will have its own share of awards. 'The Lion King' is set to release in the United States on July 19, 2019.