“Nants ingonyama bagithi baba.”
On paper, it looks like double Deutsch; in reality, it’s the iconic opening words to “The Circle of Life,” which literally translates to ‘there comes a lion’ – fitting, really, given it’s now synonymous with The Lion King, Disney’s age-old classic of a young cub following in his father’s footsteps.
And now, much like Cinderella and The Jungle Book before it, The Lion King is also expected to receive its own fresh lick of paint this summer, when Jon Favreau will be welcoming moviegoers back to the Pride Lands for a live-action adventure the likes of which we’ve never seen before – mostly because of the film’s incredible ensemble cast, which features everyone from Donald Glover (Solo: A Star Wars Story) to Beyoncé to the frankly irreplaceable James Earl Jones.
His Mufasa can be glimpsed in today’s glorious new banner, too, which can be viewed below:
It’s a fittingly beautiful preview of what’s to come – not least because it ignites an overwhelming sense of nostalgia – though we can’t help but dread the moment when King Mufasa falls prey to Scar, his nefarious brother who’s busy plotting his own journey to the throne.
It was heartbreaking enough in ’94, so we can only imagine what it’ll be like with the benefit of photo-realistic technology. Best pack the tissues, folks, it’s gonna be a summer chock-full of emotional blockbusters, what with the Mouse House also laying the necessary foundations for Avengers: Endgame, the Russo Brothers’ starry epic that’s simultaneously the sequel to Infinity War and the final chapter in Marvel’s Phase 3. It’ll grace theaters in April.
Meanwhile, Disney’s rebooted version of The Lion King reaches theaters on July 19th. Don’t miss it.
