a remake sequel is announced

[SimbasGuard]

I found a video.

He does say A prequel Of Sorts go to 11:30

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1NAUN1Lp5I

[MeerkatOnTheMoon]

I'm intrigued.

Just saw that cinematographer James Laxton who worked with Barry Jenkins on "Moonlight" is joining the team.

https://thedisinsider.com/2020/12/15/moonlight-cinematographer-reteaming-with-barry-jenkins-on-disneys-the-lion-king-prequel/

[Elton John]

Reading that article, he seems to be impressed by the script.

Another thing in that article that is a curiousity.... He says it isn't a "lion king sequel" but a "lion king movie".

Another interesting tidbit is the whole "I would love to do this, but i've got to do what I do".

Hopefully Disney gives him all the creative freedom he needs. It lines up with why I thought they chose Barry Jenkins over Jon Favreau. Disney doesn't just want money from this, they want it to be a critical darling with maybe some prestige.

[SimbasGuard]

I have to admit that I'd be anything but disappointed if Lion King was seen as an amazing movie and not just a Box Office Powerhouse.

(Although I think I speak for all of us when I say that I have always seen The Lion King as an amazing movie. Not merely what the critics call a Popcorn flick. The remake just didn't have The Heart of The Original).

Maybe Disney is looking to infuse this upcoming movie with the emotion that it's predecessor lacked.

[Elton John]

That's what I was talking about. TLK 2019 and not the original. The original is beloved, critically acclaimed, plenty of prestige and made trucks full of money.

.... The new one made a lot of money but was a critical flop and didn't get prestige.

So instead of returning to Jon Favreau they try a different approach. A prestigous black low budget indie director who has seen the original countless times.

As for whether this approach will work.... we will see.

[Timon the great]

[Quote="Iberian"] Have they ever mentioned it would be "live action" again? I just hope they would come to their senses and just invest a little bit on their 2d animation department again. [/Quote]

While I highly support bringing pure or hand drawn 2D (and not some hybrid junk) films back into mainstream again, unless everyone miraculously stops watching their CGI and live action stuff (including Marvel and Star Wars stuff), that's just not going to happen anytime soon. Why? Because, simple. It's Always been about that peculiar little word called:

""""""Money""""""

Even nearly 20 years ago, the majority of Disney/Pixar CGI movies were already making more revenue than basically all of their 2D classics ever did (except the original LK, but even that was beaten out by 'Frozen' back in 2014). So that's why Disney turned away from it more and more, till now? No more 2D Disney films.

See the short and sweet reasoning for yourself here: https://youtu.be/r18YjL0smqE

Also, you've got guys like Don Bluth who have essentially been preaching for a while now that 2D will make a comeback soon. But nothing still has changed. Problem is in general, most people out there don't find 2D to be anywhere as eye catching as CG animation and visuals are. 2D is widely seen as a "kiddie" thing.


[Quote="Elton John"] .... The new one made a lot of money but was a critical flop and didn't get prestige.
[/Quote]

Well yes... If the remake hadn't made Disney its highly anticipated revenue on it, they wouldn't be talking about a follow up prequel like they are now.

Non-mainstream movie reviewers like on YouTube predicted last year in 2019, that almost no one out there would be talking about the remake after 1 year. And that has pretty much turned out to be the case. Plus, you hardly, Hardly ever see any LK fan art based on the realism style of the remake even after more than a year now. And that actually says A Lot in itself.

Unless they find a way to make the visuals uniquely appealing with realism that's Not copied from the nostalgia cash grab remake, the prequel probably won't be as financially successful (though many films out there aren't, but are still sometimes way more creative than ones that are). Disney Execs seem to be pulling their guns out on this prequel move and just risking it (because they obviously have the experimental opportunity right now to do so), and because they know it wouldn't affect their standing in the competition even if it does flop financially. They know those ropes.

[Elton John]

almost no one talks about it.... but that could be said about most movies from last year. or most movies PERIOD. i mean there are hundreds upon hundreds of movies released each year and only a teeny tiny number enter the general lexicon of films that constantly get brought up much.

plus, what is there to say really about the lion king 2019? it is a remake of a movie that was originally released 26 years ago and was discussed to death eons ago. aside from a few changes there's not much to constantly discuss about the remake. this isn't marvel where there is an ongoing story and tons of new series being made so new videos on yt will be constantly made. or star wars which will always be a big brand for disney. the mandalorian is doing well for disney even though rise of the skywalker is seen as the worst star wars film.

not to mention there are no thriving tlk communities to discuss the remake. this place has been on life support for years. propped up by 3-4 people who show up daily and a few more who show up from time to time.

as for the fanart thing. people in general like the old style more. and its very likely easier to draw (not that i know, i'm not an artist).

[Elton John]

i think there are aspects of tlk 2019 that aren't a retread of the first movie and will be and have already been used in productions - the virtual reality tech created for the movie.

i think there is a lot to discuss about tlk 2019 even if you didn't like it personally. the virtual cinematography, the technical aspects - how they made everything look so real and yet it isn't outside of the opening shot. how no real animals were used in the making of the movie. etc.

but people, especially youtubers and forum goers, are stubborn gits. i have seen people with such vitriolic hatred of this movie that they refuse to mention anything it did right.

I will say it - the lion designs are perfectly fine in the movie. They could show a little more emotion but giving the animals designs more "animated" designs would look off putting in the photorealistic real world they are in.

[SimbasGuard]

@ Elton John: When talking about the prestige of the original I get so hung up on the fact that it was not nominated for an Oscar for Best Motion Picture. I tend to forget that it is not just overzealous( I mean that as a complement) fans like us that were wowed by it. The original Lion King fought back and forth with Forest Gump for attention in 1994. While Frozen (although I did no research) just seemed to be everyone's Favorite movie when it was released. It did not have to compete for attention. with another huge movie.

As excited as I am for the "follow-up" to the 2019 movie it is kind of a double edged sword for me. The Remake that while being an awesome movie that I very much enjoyed gets the a Theatrical "follow up" movie When The Sequel for The Original got a direct to Video release. Which many People look down on because of that.

I honestly think that Disney might be wanting a (Best Picture) Oscar contender with this upcoming follow-up.

[MeerkatOnTheMoon]

Why the original never got a Best Picture nomination is beyond me. Saw comments that animal films are overlooked by the Academy. Regarding the CGI adaptation, I agree that the animal designs are spot on. I had a great time discussing the photorealism aspect of the film in one of my classes. I think Simba's Pride deserved a theatrical release, even with the direct-to-video trend for Disney sequels back in the day. On the subject of 2D animation, there's still a niche market for it, even though 3D reigns supreme. Studio Ghibli has just announced its first 3D movie Earwig and the Witch (featuring the voices of Dan Stevens and Kacey Musgraves). Can't wait to find out more details on the new TLK movie.