Disney and Parkwood Entertainment have released a new trailer for Black Is King, an upcoming visual album and film from Beyoncé that was inspired by The Lion King.
Check it out up top via YouTube.
Black Is King is scheduled to drop on Disney+ on Friday, July 31. Bey wrote, directed, produced, and is starring in the project. She also did the music for it. Kwasi Fordjour, Emmanuel Adjei, Blitz Bazawule, Pierre Debusschere, Jenn Nkiru, Ibra Ake, Dikayl Rimmasch, and Jake Nava were also involved.
"Black Is King is a labor of love," Beyoncé wrote on IG late last month when she shared the teaser trailer. "It is my passion project that I have been filming, researching and editing day and night for the past year. I’ve given it my all and now it’s yours. It was originally filmed as a companion piece to The Lion King: The Gift soundtrack and meant to celebrate the breadth and beauty of Black ancestry. I could never have imagined that a year later, all the hard work that went into this production would serve a greater purpose."
#BlackIsKing, a film by @Beyonce. Experience a new visual album inspired by The Lion King: The Gift, streaming exclusively July 31 on #DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/k2OvAuLU4t
She continued, "The events of 2020 have made the film’s vision and message even more relevant, as people across the world embark on a historic journey. We are all in search of safety and light. Many of us want change. I believe that when Black people tell our own stories, we can shift the axis of the world and tell our REAL history of generational wealth and richness of soul that are not told in our history books. With this visual album, I wanted to present elements of Black history and African tradition, with a modern twist and a universal message, and what it truly means to find your self-identity and build a legacy."
A distribution deal that will see the visual album made available throughout Africa in the countries of Namibia, South Africa, Ghana, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Cameroon, Liberia, Burundi, Senegal, Togo, Somalia, Benin, Congo, Kenya, Ivory Coast, and others was also announced.
