Disney's New Lion King Movie Brings on Iron Man Director

Disney has found a director for its upcoming Lion King movie. Jon Favreau, who recently directed Disney's live-action Jungle Book movie, has been officially confirmed as the movie's director

In a press release, Disney said the "new reimagining" of the 1994 animated classic is on the "fast track to production," though it does not have a release date.

Disney has been ramping up its production of live-action versions of animated classics of late. Some other recent examples include Maleficent, Cinderella, and most recently, The Jungle Book. In addition to The Lion King, Disney is producing a live-action Beauty and the Beast movie starring Emma Watson.

Like that movie, which is due out in 2017, The Lion King reimagining will include songs from the original, though these were not specified.

Disney and Favreau are also working on The Jungle Book 2, after this year's entry made $965.8 million worldwide. There are no release dates announced for The Lion King or The Jungle Book 2.

Favreau also directed the first two Robert Downey Jr. Iron Man films and the Will Ferrell Christmas movie Elf.

The new Lion King has big shoes to fill, as the original made more than $968 million at the box office and won multiple Academy Awards, in addition to a pair of Grammy Awards for its soundtrack.

Disney brought The Lion King to the stage, where it's won six Tony Awards. The stage play is still on the circuit in cities around the world. According to Disney, "The Lion King's worldwide gross exceeds that of any film, Broadway show, or other entertainment title in box office history."