Disney's new take on their classic The Lion Kingmay not be the gritty R-rated reboot of our dreams, but it's still clearly going to be a goddamn delight.
Up top, catch the new trailer for the Jon Favreau-directed update on the 1994 animated blockbuster. Donald Glover, Beyoncé, Billy Eichner, Alfre Woodard, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and John Oliver are among the surefire repeat blockbuster's cast. As for the film's central story, I hope to god Uzi no one has to point you to the plot summary. This is The Lion King, after all. We should all know it by heart at this point.
The movie hits theaters July 19. Below, see a newly released still.
Though the fact that I nearly cried just from this trailer alone should be a strong enough signal that the full movie will indeed include at least one bout of extended bawling, we recently got some direct confirmation on the likeliness of tears from Walt Disney Studios chairperson Alan F. Horn.
Horn, speaking with The Hollywood Reporter back in February, has advised that we all arrive at our local theaters with a handkerchief.
"It's so emotional, he said, noting that he's seen four cuts of Favreau's film so far. "But it's a remake of an animated film, so there must be some percentage of the audience who will say, 'Well, I saw the first picture.' All I can say for sure is you cannot tell these animals aren't real."
But before we cry along to Simba's journey, Donald Glover will be seen in Guava Island, a Rihanna-featuring film project that's set to debut at Coachella this month.
