Jon Favreau announced on Twitter last Friday that Donald Glover will be playing Simba along with James Earl Jones’ Mufasa in the director’s new live-action Lion King movie.
This is just the latest in a string of successes for Glover. His show “Atlanta” has been more than well-received, and he will be playing a young Lando Calrissian in the brand new Star Wars spinoff.
Jones will be playing Mufasa for the second time, as he voiced the character in the original 1994 movie.
Favreau is also not new to Disney remakes; his 2016 version of The Jungle Book raked in a whopping $965.8 million worldwide.
— ‘Atlanta’ star Donald Glover Cast in ‘Star Wars’ Spinoff —
I just can’t wait to be king. #Simba pic.twitter.com/wUYKixMBJI
— Jon Favreau (@Jon_Favreau) February 18, 2017
“Like Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King will include songs from the animated film,” according to Disney.
The Lion King is one of the highest-grossing animated movies in history, having made almost $1 billion for Disney.
No one has mentioned a release date as of yet for either the Lion King or Favreau’s sequel to The Jungle Book.
If you can’t wait to see a new Disney movie, then you will be happy to hear that there is a live action Beauty and the Beast that will hit theaters in March.
Looking forward to working with this legend. #Mufasa pic.twitter.com/1LszbWrcYT
— Jon Favreau (@Jon_Favreau) February 18, 2017