First Lion King Trailer Is Impressive And Nostalgic

Disney has released the first trailer for its remake of The Lion King. The movie, which is set to hit cinemas in July, features an all-star voice cast that includes James Earl Jones as Mufasa and Chiwetel Ejiofor as Scar. The trailer gives us an early look at how both of these characters look and sound, and it's quite impressive.

The trailer also features a number of other characters who will be familiar to fans of the animated classic, including Simba (Donald Glover), Nala (Beyonce), Rafiki (John Kani), and, very briefly, Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed the hyenas. Evoking nostalgia seems to be very much a goal of The Lion King, and we see a few iconic scenes from the animated film given new life. Most notable among these is the stampede and Simba standing on the cliff. There's also a nice musical finish at the end of the trailer. Check it out above.

The new Lion King is written by Jeff Nathanson, who previously worked on Catch Me If You Can and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. It's directed by Jon Favreau, known for his work on Iron Man and the 2016 Jungle Book remake.

Other actors in the film include comedian John Oliver, who plays Zazu, while Seth Rogen and Billy Eichner voice Timon and Pumbaa, respectively. Keegan-Michael Key and Eric Andre are also voicing characters. You can see the full cast in the image here. The Lion King and hits theatres on July 18, 2019.