It’s been over a year since Disney confirmed its live action remake of The Lion King, and while the company has since released some casting news (including James Earl Jones returning as Mufasa), the casting announcement of the year has proven any prior info as irrelevant. You my have been excited before about Donald Glover as Simba or Seth Rogen as Pumbaa, but PEOPLE reports that Beyoncé will voice Simba’s love interest Nala. Well, The Lion King has already surpassed all of the other Disney remakes, hasn’t it?
Walt Disney Studios announced the addition of Beyoncé and other cast members in a tweet on Wednesday, also confirming the film’s release on July 19, 2019.
#TheLionKing. 2019. pic.twitter.com/rSDPkE6nWk
— Walt Disney Studios (@DisneyStudios) November 1, 2017
Also just joining the cast of the anticipated remake is Oscar-nominated actor Chiwetel Ejiofor as Scar. Alfre Woodard as Simba’s mother Sarabi, Rogen as Pumbaa, Billy Eichner as Timon and John Oliver as Zazu had been previously announced.
Following the success of his live action remake of The Jungle Book, Jon Favreau will direct the new film and incorporate the same kind of performance-capture technology to create the animal characters. While we won’t actually see Beyoncé and the rest of this incredible cast onscreen, I’m confident that Beyoncé’s vocals in a musical number will be well worth an admission price. Obviously, I’m not the only one to think so.
How the Disney exec that closed Beyonce’s Lion King deal was greeted when they came into work today pic.twitter.com/227IcvnQaE
— Matthew A. Cherry (@MatthewACherry) November 2, 2017
BEYONCÉ WILL BE PLAYING NALA IN LION KING ITS FINALLY BEEN CONFIRMED THIS IS NOT A DRILL pic.twitter.com/a0x7cWWiQY
— Beyoncé Archive (@YonceArchive) November 1, 2017
the hive in theaters watching the lion king 2019 for beyoncé pic.twitter.com/CLGcT9DzBV
— lost twig (@lostwig) November 1, 2017
Basically, no matter how grim things may seem, keep this amazing news in mind. As always, Beyoncé has saved the day.