Internet awash with tears as the live action 'Lion King' trailer arrives

Kittens of the United Kingdom… prepare yourselves to be held aloft. The first trailer for Disney’s live-action remake of The Lion King is here.

And the web is awash with tears of emotion, as the unpronouncable first hollerings from the classic theme song ring out across the CGI savannah.

The nostalgia is strong with this one, with the baritone of the legendary James Earl Jones reprising his role as proud patriarch Mufasa, and speaking of succession.

Let’s just say that it’s got people a bit emotional…

Plus someone’s already done this…

The movie, helmed by Jon Favreau, finds Donald Glover voicing Simba, and Chiwetel Ejiofor as Scar, Mufasa’s trecherous brother.

Also starring are Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen as Timon and Pumbaa, John Oliver as Zazu, Keegan-Michael Key as Kamari, and Beyonce – now billed as Beyoncé Knowles-Carter – as Nala, Simba’s childhood best friend.

Here’s the full synopsis, and first poster, courtesy of Disney:

Lions rule the African savanna in The Lion King, which welcomes Donald Glover (Atlanta, Solo: A Star Wars Story) as future king Simba, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter (Dreamgirls, Lemonade visual album) as Simba’s friend-turned-love interest Nala, and James Earl Jones (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Field of Dreams) as Simba’s wise and loving father, Mufasa, reprising his iconic performance from Disney’s 1994 animated classic.

Chiwetel Ejiofor (Twelve Years a Slave, Marvel Studios’ Doctor Strange) was called on to portray Simba’s villainous uncle Scar, and Alfre Woodard (Juanita, Marvel’s Luke Cage) portrays Simba’s no-nonsense mother, Sarabi. JD McCrary (OWN’s Tyler Perry’s The Paynes, Apple’s Vital Signs) fills the shoes of Young Simba, a confident cub who can’t wait to be king, and Shahadi Wright Joseph (NBC’s Hairspray Live, Broadway’s The Lion King) brings tough cub Young Nala to life.

Every kingdom comes with a trustworthy advisor or two. John Kani (Coriolanus, Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Civil War) was cast as the wise baboon Rafiki, and John Oliver (HBO’s Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with Jon Stewart) was tapped as hornbill Zazu, Mufasa’s loyal confidant. When Simba goes into exile, he relies on two newfound friends—Seth Rogen (Sausage Party, Neighbors) lends his comedic chops to naïve warthog Pumbaa, and Billy Eichner (Billy on the Street, FX’s American Horror Story) joins the cast as know-it-all meerkat Timon.

It lands on July 19, 2019.

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