海角大神

Director Jon Favreau brought the animals of Disney鈥檚 鈥淭he Jungle Book鈥� to life via modern technology. Now he鈥檒l be doing the same with the characters in the 1994 Disney animated movie 鈥淭he Lion King.鈥澛�

Disney recently announced that Mr. Favreau, who also helmed such films as 鈥淚ron Man鈥� and 鈥淓lf,鈥� will take on a live-action adaptation of 鈥淟ion.鈥澛�

Until it was bumped by 鈥淪hrek 2鈥� in 2004, 鈥淭he Lion King鈥� was the highest-grossing animated film of all time domestically. 鈥淟ion鈥� tells the story of lion cub Simba, the son of Mufasa, a monarch who rules their home. When Mufasa is killed by his brother, Scar, Simba must decide whether he is fit to take on his father鈥檚 job and protect his people from Scar.

(If I just spoiled Mufasa鈥檚 death for you, you have been asleep since 1993.)

The production is just the latest live-action adaptation of one of its animated films by Disney. 鈥淛ungle鈥� became one of the highest-grossing films of the year so far after being released this past spring. Releases such as the 2015 movie 鈥淐inderella鈥� and 2014鈥檚 鈥淢aleficent,鈥� which told the story of the 鈥淪leeping Beauty鈥� villain, also did well.

Many other live-action takes on Disney animated stories are planned, including the 2017 film 鈥淏eauty and the Beast鈥� starring Dan Stevens and Emma Watson.聽

In adapting 鈥淟ion鈥� as a live-action film, Disney is taking on one of its most acclaimed projects of all time. 鈥淟ion鈥� was released during a period in the studio鈥檚 history popularly known as the Disney Renaissance because the movies created during it are often called some of the best animated films ever made.聽

selected 鈥淟ion鈥� as the second-best animated movie ever made by Disney (behind only 鈥淏eauty,鈥� which is the only animated film to be nominated for the Best Picture Oscar when there were only five nominees for the prize).聽

鈥溾�橳he Lion King,鈥� from directors Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff, represented the box-office pinnacle of the Disney renaissance of the 1990s,鈥� Ms. Kiang and Mr. Lyttelton wrote. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 also a creative highlight [with an] exceptionally well-structured story.鈥� The (Circle of) Life Lessons that 鈥楾he Lion King鈥� teaches may not be exactly groundbreaking, but seeing them executed with such sincerity and deep feeling, and with unparalleled craft in terms of the animation and design of every single character and every single background, is purest, unalloyed Disney magic.鈥澛�

also selected 鈥淟ion鈥� as the second-best Disney animated film, coming second only to 鈥淏eauty鈥� (sense a theme?).聽

鈥淧erhaps the most ambitious of Disney鈥檚 films, 鈥楾he Lion King鈥� presents an original story (albeit one inspired by the Biblical tales of Moses and Joseph, as well as 鈥楬amlet鈥� and 鈥楳acbeth鈥�) and perfectly balances the serious and comedic tones,鈥� Mr. Coates writes. 鈥淲ith the successful stage adaptation directed by Julie Taymor, 鈥楾he Lion King鈥� may be the most enduring film in Disney鈥檚 catalog.鈥�