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 The re-telling of the 1994 tale about the lion cub Simba, which
opens in theaters around the world this week, was created with
computer animation, gaming technology and virtual reality, plus
live-action filmmaking techniques, director Jon Favreau said.
The goal was to provide a "photo-real" look for expressive
animals and African vistas, Favreau said. "Lion King" follows
recent remakes of Disney classics such as "Beauty and the
Beast," "Aladdin" and Favreau's "The Jungle Book."
Remaking a well-known movie is "tricky," Disney Chief Executive
Bob Iger acknowledged to reporters at the European premiere for
"The Lion King" in London. "But we feel great about where we are
with this film and with the remakes in general."
"When you are dealing with something like 'The Lion King,' which
we consider a crown jewel, there's a challenge to that," he
said. Besides using new technology, filmmakers revise storylines
to make them feel relatable to modern moviegoers, he said.
Cast members said classic stories deserved a re-telling for
different eras.
"You wouldn't say to your grandmother 'don't tell me that story
when everybody came from Texas to Oklahoma,'" said Alfre
Woodard, who voices the lioness Sarabi. "It's like 'tell it to
me again.' When you hear it at different points in your life,
you are different. You are hearing it with new ears and
different perspectives."
Movie critics, however, gave a mixed reception to the new "Lion
King." Sixty percent of reviews on the Rotten Tomatoes website
were positive. Many said it was visually impressive but tame in
terms of characters and storytelling.
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Even the harshest detractors predicted the film would generate
massive ticket sales given the widespread adoration for the original
and an A-list voice cast that includes Beyonce and Donald Glover.
Box office experts have said it has a shot at topping the $2.8
billion hauled in by 2009's "Avatar," the highest-grossing movie of
all time.
The new movie largely follows the original story of Simba, the cub
that faces tragedy and must summon the courage to become a leader.
Well-known music such as "Circle of Life" returns, with the addition
of an original song by Beyonce, who voices the adult lioness Nala.
Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen add improvised comedy to the warthog
and meerkat duo, who sing "Hakuna Matata."
Glover, the voice behind adult Simba, said he joined the cast
because he felt the story promoted values that would be "part of a
global good."
"That circle of life theme, I think, is important for everybody to
understand now, that we are depending on each other," Glover said.
(Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Additional reporting by Edward Baran in
London; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)
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