“ Animals have personalities like people , " Walt Disney declared in the heyday of his cartooning career , " and [ they ] must be studied . " Disney ’s interview agreed 75 years ago , and they agree again today , as evidence by the live - action remake ofThe Jungle Booksoaring over $ 100 million at the box office staff in just one weekend .
The magic of animate animals is alive– and exposure - real number . Which is why I ’m ready to make a radical marriage proposal : it ’s clip to overhaulThe Lion King .
OK , that voice like a horrifying musical theme if you loveThe Lion King , which most people do . Disney ’s Academy Award - nominated take onHamlettowered as the top - grossing movie in the company ’s story for well into the 2000s . Elton John and Tim Rice ’s original songs have the chart and carved out a place on Broadway in the old age to come . Disney bring forth several lineal - to - video sequels in the wake of the pic ’s achiever , because no one could say no to the exploits of endearing lion sonny boy and a breaking wind warthog . And for the kids who want reminding thatTheLion Kingrules , there’sThe Lion Guard , a sequel TV series that kick off in January . RemakingThe Lion Kingwould be as stupid as … remakingThe Jungle Book .
Walt Disney Pictures
Do n’t get me wrong : remolding Mowgli , Baloo , Bagheera , and Shere Khan ’s adventures with fancy new especial force is , on a dramatic level , purposeless . Ex - children around the world still O.K. of the 1967 original , and the picture ’s readily accessible for the younger generation . But there is a outstanding , Walt Disney - approved reason : wow factor .
The first third of the newJungle Bookis a total victory , a dramatis personae of talking critter who give expressive execution and combine in course with construct landscapes ( as opposed to real locations – they built the film ’s African plains on a Los Angeles soundstage ) . engineering let director Jon Favreau to treat a jaguar and a human boy like two walking - and - utter Aaron Sorkin character , and the natural action like a ruthlessGame of Thronesbrawl ( yes , it ’s still a kids ' movie ) . The animation is so lifelike , the consultation never question the mechanics of a singing bear ’s mouth or Mowgli ’s skirt chaser - lad hand-to-hand struggle match . You never recall of the zoological co - stars as constructs – only theatrical role .
Newcomer Neel Sethi is the only sour note . It ’s not entirely his fault . Favreau saddles the 12 - year - former doer with the obligation of being the movie ’s lonesome humanoid persona . Without a compelling story to back him up , he ’s a boy misplace in the wild , figuratively and literally . The severe truth , and the special effects team ’s greatest accomplishment , is thatThe Jungle Bookwould be a in effect movie without its human element . That ’s whereThe Lion Kingcomes in .
Walt Disney Pictures/YouTube
The revamp is a matter of when , not if . After the mega - success ofAlice in Wonderland , Disney turned its eyes toward a vibrant back catalog that could be exploit just like Marvel comical book andStar Warscharacters , the other two pillars in its multiplex - dominate business organization model . The one - two punch of 2014’sMaleficent($758 million worldwide ) and last year’sCinderellaredux ( $ 542 million ) sour " toying around with the idea " into serious scheme . This summer we ’ll see an update ofPete ’s Dragon , follow in 2017 by an Emma Watson - ledBeauty and the Beast . Currently gestate behind the scenes : Cruella , a new whirl on101 Dalmatians;The Little Mermaid ; aDumboremake manoeuvre by Tim Burton;Mulan;Pinocchio;Winnie the Pooh;The Sword and the Stone ; aCinderellaspinoff focalize onPrince Charming ; and even a take on the " Night on Bald Mountain " segment fromFantasia(that ’s the one with the giant ogre dude ) .
To be clear : The Lion Kingisn’tin the current stack – but it should be , because there ’s a fresh version of the movie waiting to be re-introduce to the world . Despite being the highest - gross Broadway melodic of all time , the degree interpretation ofThe Lion King , wedge - full of Modern songs , has yet to find itself adapted for the screen . Under the direction of Julie Taymor ( Across the Universe),The Lion Kingwent post - modern , outfitting vocally capable casts with lion headdresses and puppet extensions . It felt like the movie without looking like the moving picture .
A newLion Kingcould re-explain the melodious with actual feline performers . They could shoot realistic background scene to create the ultimate magic , and rely on animator ' creations to add in the cast .
Disney ’s done this before – with 2000’sDinosaur . Technically , it was n’t one of their traditional animated flick , as the production team employed resilient - action mechanism backdrops for the CG type . A team of cameramen spent days filming blank space where dinosaurs would finally go . ( Not the most glamourous job , but the result was mesmerizing.)Dinosaurgrossed $ 349 million worldwide , the fifth - highest - gross pic of the year , before falling into relative obscureness .
The Jungle Booknever goes fullDinosaur , save for a few inflame Baloo - Bagheera conversation . Mowgli is in every scene , scrambling for his life – and our tending . In an age where spectacle is everything and CG artisan struggle to match unrecorded - action actor , aLion Kingremake could take the movies to a Modern space : not quite " real , " not quite animize , just gorgeous and riveting and meaty . Animals have personalities , and with the Disney remaking business enterprise in full swing , permit ’s go for they take a lesson from ol' Uncle Walt .
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Disney on Broadway
