The Hollywood remake machine is a Circle of Life on its own, regurgitating its own ideas into slightly new forms in an endless loop. So it happens that Disney’s remake binge has reached its most inevitable point with 1994’s The Lion King: the peak of its 90s animation renaissance, minus the animation.
Well…..let’s not kid ourselves, no matter how “real” everything looks, this is still animation. Nothing in this tralier actually exists in the real world. Before you click “play,” can you guess which sequence from the movie they chose to introduce the remake? Yup, everyone knows…it’s the iconic Pride Rock birth sequence, which the teaser for the original film used as its first pre-release glimpse. They knew even back then.
The Lion King trailer was released mid-day on Thanksgiving and reactions were mixed from reporters who didn’t have the day off. Many were awed by the gorgeous recreation of the original’s iconic opener, while others questioned how necessary it was if it’s gonna be just the same darn thing again, with the possible exception of Pumbaa finally getting to say the word “fart” under a G rating.
These remakes happen because they make money. Before we even get this one, remakes of Aladdin and Dumbo will be released (trailers for both dropped in the past month). And on the production slate, remakes of Mulan and Lilo & Stitch…..eventually, Disney will hit a wall and be forced to either remake Treasure Planet or re-CG a movie that was already CG, like a “realistic” remake of Monsters Inc. Let’s hope this trend dies before they get that far.
The Lion King paws its way into theaters July 19, 2019 — 25 years to the day from its original premiere.
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