With the movie having a post discussion and having seen it myself I have decided to do a full blown and in depth review since my statement would be too long for a simple opinion. The Lion King remake on the surface certainly looks like a copy paste of the original but while following the original the character arcs and themes have more ties to Simba's pride than they do the original.
This is most evident with Simba himself who had every aspect of his motivation changed. New Simba's motive as a cub is impressing his father living up to the lion his father is. Simba is disappointed at being told no by Mufasa regarding the hyenas not because he was forbidden to do something he wanted to which he felt went against his royal right but rather because his father didn't trust him to accompany him didn't think he could help when Simba wanted to. During his scene with Scar Simba is actually insecure about the prospect of being a king who will give his uncle orders like his father does, he goes to the elephant graveyard because he sees it as a way of proving he is more than just a cub. I just can't wait to be king is intriguing because Simba's singing voice is rather meek as Nala completely overpowers his singing range.
Simba's massive ego in the remake is fake hiding a very insecure cub who thinks he can't live up to his father. Even the gorge is yet another attempt to impress his father by finding his roar, Simba as a cub already has his adult counterparts lack of self worth wanting to live up to his father but thinking he isn't good enough and even believing Mufasa sees him as a disappointment.
This is a very different relationship Simba has with Mufasa and it changes the entire context of the rest of his arc. The remember scene cannot be the same since Simba didn't forget who he was, if anything he never moved beyond it and is still the same cub who was desperately seeking to impress his father. Simba and Mufasa have deeply rooted issues in the remake that need to be resolved which plays into the completely different portrayal of Mufasa.
Mufasa in the remake is not the great lion we remember he is a great king but unlike his original self Mufasa has massive issues his whole life is nothing but a deep scar. His marriage to Sarabi is a reminder of his failed relationship with his brother, everytime he looks at his brother he sees his failure to Scar as a brother running down his eye. He knows Scar is dangerous and probably should exile him but he can't do it because as far as Mufasa is concerned Scar being dangerous is his fault he can't punish him for his mistakes. James Earl Jones doesn't play Mufasa as strong his voice sounds old showing Mufasa is beaten tired, exhausted and battle scarred.
Mufasa doesn't want Simba to be like him because Mufasa isn't even certain if he wants to be Mufasa. As disappointed as Simba is in himself Mufasa is equally disappointed in himself especially since he thinks he failed Simba and not the other way around. Scar and Simba both want to be Mufasa to prove their own self worth. Scar wants his mate and Simba wants his title yet neither of them understand just what being Mufasa means.
They both represent different sides of Mufasa, Scar is his past while Simba is his future. Simba could also be Scar's future but he can only see the past through him a reminder of being rejected by Sarabi. Mufasa needed the remember scene as much as Simba did as it was Mufasa who truly forgot who he was, he was so burdened with the scars of his past that he couldn't see his greatest pride right in front of him Simba, and now he could finally admit this to Simba and allow both to put the past behind them while Scar can't and as a result it destroys him.
The conflict between Mufasa and Scar while different actually has quite a bit in common with the pride Landers and outsiders as Simba represents the same thing Kovu and Kiara did for the 2 prides hope for Mufasa and Scar but both can't see this due to the past loss which they can't let go, Scar can't see Simba as his chance to reconcile with his family and Mufasa can't see him as a sign that he himself is a worthwhile lion. This gives Mufasa analogies of Simba in LK 2 and Scar a motive quite in line with Zira the loss of the one he loved and a deep desire for revenge due to that loss. Mufasa and Scar are the outsiders and pride Landers however this time there's no Romeo and Juliet story to unite them so it ends with both sides dying and leaving the next generation to hopefully not repeat those mistakes not repeat the past.
The Lion King remake is about putting the past behind you and not letting it define you. The remake has the skin, body and movement of the original but the blood beneath it is Simba's Pride.