Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Entertainment
  3. News

Disney’s live-action version of ‘The Lion King’ adds Beyonce to its big-name cast

By

Beyonce holds a mic and sings.
Beyoncé/Facebook
Part of the circle of life is seeing your favorite childhood movies remade as an adult. Disney has been hard at work on live-action adaptations of its animated classics in recent years, and The Lion King is one of the most anticipated on the studio’s list. That is especially true after big casting news was unveiled on Wednesday, November 1: None other than Beyonce Knowles-Carter was revealed to be one of the film’s stars.

The Grammy winner will voice Nala, Simba’s best friend and eventual queen. As previously announced, Simba, the titular lion king, is set to be portrayed by Donald Glover. Like Beyonce, Glover doubles as a musician; he has put out multiple rap albums under the stage name Childish Gambino.

Recommended Videos

Because the story told in The Lion King spans numerous years, Beyonce and Glover won’t be the only actors to play Nala and Simba. The lions’ younger selves will be played by J.D. McCrary and Shahadi Wright Joseph, respectively. Hard as it is for us older fans to believe, the two actors weren’t even born when the original animated film came out.

Related

The rest of The Lion King‘s cast is impressive as well. James Earl Jones will once again voice Simba’s father, Mufasa, as he did in the animated film, while Alfre Woodard will portray the young lion’s mom. Simba’s malevolent uncle Scar will be voiced by Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen are on board as Timon and Pumbaa, respectively. The cast also includes comedians John Oliver and Keegan-Michael Key, among others.

#TheLionKing. 2019. ???????? pic.twitter.com/UMJo18FwDt

— Disney (@Disney) November 1, 2017

All in all, the final list is great. The casting of Beyonce, in particular, should get fans excited. As one of the best-selling artists of all time, she is bound to make excellent contributions to the movie’s soundtrack. She is also likely to be a big box office draw given the enthusiasm of her die-hard fans, the Beyhive.

The Lion King is an adaptation of the 1994 movie that remains one of the highest-grossing animated films ever. Its voice cast included Jones, Matthew Broderick, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Moira Kelly, Niketa Calame, Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, and more.

In honor of the film’s 25th anniversary, The Lion King will open in summer 2019.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Stephanie Topacio Long
Stephanie Topacio Long
Contributor
Stephanie Topacio Long is a writer and editor whose writing interests range from business to books. She also contributes to…
10 best action-comedies of all-time, ranked
Mel Gibson and Danny Glover in Lethal Weapon.

While straight action films like John Wick are far from extinct, it's the action comedies that tend to become the popular box office hits. Movie fans just love to laugh at the funny parts while enjoying the accompanying action. Not every action comedy is created equal, and Hollywood has admittedly gone to the well with the buddy-cop movies a little bit too often.

This weekend, The Fall Guy is the latest action comedy to attempt to give the genre some fresh blood, even though it's technically based on a TV series from the '80s that has largely been forgotten. Regardless, that's as good a reason as any to update our list of the best action comedies of all time. It would be too easy to load up this list with films from the '80s and '90s, when action comedies were at their peak. However, we've also saved some slots for more recently released action comedies that deserve some recognition as well.
10. Hot Fuzz (2007)

Read more
If you have to watch one Hulu movie in May 2024, stream this one
Tom Hanks in Cast Away.

It's a new month, and that means new movies on Hulu. And somebody over there really loves Tom Hanks. Because in this month alone, Hulu is adding Hanks' directorial debut, That Thing You Do, one of his most iconic films, Big, and one of his most recent hits, Elvis. But if we had to choose only one Hulu movie to stream in May 2024, then our pick is another Tom Hanks movie: Cast Away.

Robert Zemeckis directed the film from a script by William Broyles Jr. It cast Hanks as Chuck Noland, a FedEx employee who survives a plane crash in the Pacific ocean, only to find himself stranded on an island in the middle of nowhere without anyone to turn to but himself. Cast Away was actually a big hit in late 2000 and during the early part of 2001, earning $429.6 million worldwide. That may not have translated into Oscar gold for two-time Best Actor winner Hanks, but Cast Away is an unforgettable film that deserves a new audience nearly 24 years after it hit theaters.
Tom Hanks throws himself into his role

Read more
3 underrated movies on Amazon Prime Video you need to watch in May
A low-angle shot of Ryan Gosling in a phone booth holding the receiver in a scene from All Good Things.

Whether it’s a rainy day in or a quiet night at home, why not relax with a good movie? Deciding what movie to watch, however, can be a challenge. You might have already watched all the latest films you had on your radar and you’re looking for something different you’d never have chosen on your own -- a hidden gem.

There are three underrated movies on Amazon Prime Video you need to watch in May that you might have overlooked. Don’t count them out. One (or more) of these movies, ranging from a 2010 Ryan Gosling mystery/crime drama to a recent Judd Apatow comedy, might be exactly what you’re looking for. They’re all streaming right now with a base subscription to Amazon Prime Video.
All Good Things (2010)
All Good Things Trailer Official

Read more