Watch The Lion King

The Lion King is a 2019 American musical drama film directed by Jon Favreau and produced by Walt Disney Pictures. It is a photorealistic computer-animated remake of Disney's traditionally animated 1994 film of the same name. The film features the voices of Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Alfre Woodard, Billy Eichner, John Kani, John Oliver, and Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, as well as James Earl Jones reprising his role from the original film.

The story follows Simba, a young lion prince who flees his kingdom after the murder of his father, Mufasa, at the hands of his uncle Scar. Years later, a grown-up Simba returns to reclaim his homeland. The film explores themes of destiny, responsibility, grief, and coming of age.

The photorealistic computer animation style aimed to create photo-realistic environments and characters that looked as if filmed in the real world. Filmmakers went on research trips to Africa to study the animals and their environments up close. The music by Hans Zimmer, Elton John, and Lebo M featured new takes on classic songs like "Circle of Life" and "Hakuna Matata" along with a new song called "Spirit" performed by Beyoncé.

Donald Glover voices the adult Simba, taking over the role from Matthew Broderick in the original. Glover brings his trademark charm and likability to the character, evolving Simba from a carefree cub to a conflicted, guilt-ridden lion who must embrace his destiny.

Beyoncé voices the lioness Nala, Simba's childhood friend and eventual love interest. She also performed new versions of the songs on the soundtrack. Her powerful vocals added sophistication and soul to the music.

Seth Rogen provides the voice (and signature laugh) for Pumbaa, the lovable warthog who befriends Simba in exile. His comedic rapport with Billy Eichner as Timon the meerkat livens up the middle portion of the film.

James Earl Jones once again voices Simba's wise father Mufasa, reprising one of his most iconic roles. Chiwetel Ejiofor makes for a sinister villain as Mufasa's brother Scar, who tricks Simba into exile after killing Mufasa.

The photorealistic animation brings the African vistas to vivid life, from the sprawling savannah to the towering Pride Rock. The realistic computer-generated animals blend seamlessly into their environments in a way that provides a believable live-action feel.

Overall, the remake of The Lion King presents a visually breathtaking update of a beloved story, balancing nostalgia for the 1994 original with updated technology, music, and performances. It introduces the timeless coming-of-age tale to a new generation of viewers.

The Lion King is a 2019 adventure movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 58 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.8 and a MetaScore of 55.