‘Lion King’ and the Challenge Facing Disney’s Remakes

On Thanksgiving day, Disney let out a roar heard across the internet with the release of the teaser for its remake of The Lion King. Already the teaser has broken records in views, coming in as the second most viewed trailer of behind the first Avengers: Infinity War teaser. Director Jon Favreau found previous success in the world of Disney remakes with The Jungle Book (2016), which grossed $966.6 million worldwide. There’s little doubt that the mix of nostalgia and enthusiasm for a cast that features Donald Glover and Beyonce will see The Lion King become a big hit when it opens in summer 2019. Disney has struck gold (again) by remaking their animated classics. With Dumbo, Aladdin, Lady and the Tramp, and The Lion King hitting next year, and Mulan currently in production and set for a 2020 release, it’s clear that the studio giant isn’t slowing this train down any time soon.