Disney Set To Remark The Lion King

The Lion King is returning to theaters—albeit, not the same one audiences fell in love with 22 years ago. The Walt Disney Company announced Wednesday that it has tapped Jon Favreau for a reimagining of its 1994 animated blockbuster. It's now on the "fast track to production."


Soon after, Favreau tweeted, "Excited for my next project." He included lion and crown emojis.

Key details, including a release date and casting news, have yet to be announced. In April, two "Untitled Disney Live Action" movies were put on the calendar: Aug. 3, 2018 and Dec. 25, 2018. The new Lion King will include songs from the original animated movie, the studio said. Favreau last directed Disney's The Jungle Book, which earned $965.8 million worldwide after its April debut. He is also developing a sequel to The Jungle Book, though the film's release date is TBD.