The first reactions to The Lion King remake are in, and they’re hugely positive. As with all of Disney’s live-action reboots, there’s been a mixed reception from fans in the run-up to its release, with many feeling that it’s unnecessary but others happy to bask in the nostalgia of one of their favorite animated movies getting reimagined. Going by these initial thoughts from those who saw an early screening of the film, though, it sounds like it’s a stunning watch.
First of all, step aside Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast – this might just be the best Disney remake yet.
Just finished #TheLionKing! I absolutely loved every second of it. The VFX on the animals were incredibly detailed and the music was on another level. This might be my favorite Disney live action adaption this far! pic.twitter.com/1CExxs6kAB
— Dorian Parks @ SDCC (@DorianParksnRec) July 10, 2019
As we predicted, the nostalgia apparently hits hard…
Nostalgia hits HARD with #TheLionKing. It’s wonderful to see the story again on the big screen presented in a different way. The cast is amazing and to hear James Earl Jones as Mufasa again put a huge smile on my face. Oh yea, that stampede scene still gets me 😭 pic.twitter.com/99pZaHNdGY
— Wendy Lee Szany (@WendyLeeSzany) July 10, 2019
Critics also can’t emphasize enough how mind-blowing the visual effects are.
Loved loved loved #TheLionKing. Strikes the perfect balance between devotion and innovation, a technical and emotional achievement that feels downright unparalleled. (Truly you’ve never seen anything like this before.) And @billyeichner steals the movie. pic.twitter.com/6S5h2s3AvN
— Drew Taylor (@DrewTailored) July 10, 2019
We can apparently expect mostly the same experience as the animated version, but with a few small enhancements.
The Lion King is a wonderful adaptation of an iconic classic. It has a few small changes which enhance what was already great and everything else is right on point. The CG can be slightly distracting at times but the emotion quickly covers that. Loved it. pic.twitter.com/9QmsP3PmNh
— Germain Lussier (@GermainLussier) July 10, 2019
Speaking of which, the trailers so far have brought up a discussion about whether having photorealistic animals would impact on the emotion of the film, and one reaction – which was otherwise very positive – did point out that this is a concern.
That being said, #TheLionKing does illustrate the limitations of projecting human emotions onto photorealistic animals that can't convey human expression. More in my review when the embargo lifts!
— @alishagrauso.bsky.social (@AlishaGrauso) July 10, 2019
That said, The Lion King is apparently so “breathtaking” that your worries about whether it needed to happen won’t matter.
#TheLionKing is a breathtaking visual cinematic achievement. I can’t believe this is a CG animated movie. Timon and Pumbaa steal the show. It’s a good Disney remake but was it necessary? Maybe not, but it’s enjoyable and families are gonna love it.
— /Film (@slashfilm) July 10, 2019
One things’s for sure. Folks really, really love Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen’s Timon and Pumbaa.
#TheLionKing has a lot of heart, breathtaking visuals & perfect pairing with the actors. But for me, @billyeichner and @Sethrogen as Timon and Pumbaa stole the show and made me laugh so hard I almost cried pic.twitter.com/0v1j29lZNs
— Shannon | #FreePalestine 🇵🇸 (@shannon_mcgrew) July 10, 2019
Absolutely blown away by #TheLionKing. Incredible visuals and voice work. Cried all my makeup off. Timon and Pumba brought me back from the edge. Would die for baby Simba. pic.twitter.com/YBpncCVowz
— Rachel Heine ✨ (@RachelHeine) July 10, 2019
I’m not kidding. They apparently steal the whole show.
https://twitter.com/THATJacqueline/status/1148809922210963456
By the sounds of it, The Lion King remake is very much as advertised. It’s a nostalgic, loving redo of the original with the main draws being the talented cast – particularly, Eichner and Rogen, surprisingly – and the incredible visuals. No doubt fans will find something to complain about when it’s released in cinemas, but it sounds like Disney succeeded in doing exactly what they set out to with this one.