So it stands to reason that Oliver plays Zazu - previously voiced by Rowan Atkinson - as a kind of hornbill roving reporter, soaring over the pride lands to bring observations of the various goings-on back to Mufasa. John Oliver may not be a conventional news anchor, but millions of people tune into his HBO series, Last Week Tonight, to get his unique take on the headlines. (Photo: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures / courtesy Everett Collection) Zazu (John Oliver) gives Mufasa (James Earl Jones) and Simba (JD McCrary) the morning report in The Lion King. Scar aids his plunge by slashing him across the face, not his paws. As a stampede rages in the canyon below him, the lion king clings onto the side of the cliff for dear life. And he repays his brother scar for scar moments before Mufasa’s death. It’s made explicit here that Scar once challenged Mufasa for the throne and lost - hence the signature scar on his face. Where Irons played a villain with a capital “V,” the 12 Years a Slave star is a more quietly dangerous presence who nurses a lifelong grudge. To be fair, this new version of “Be Prepared” is more in keeping with Ejiofor’s take on the role. The lyrics have also been amended, focusing more on Scar’s grievances towards his brother, Mufasa (James Earl Jones, reprising his role), and less snide commentary about the diminutive intelligence of his hyena allies. ![]() As performed by Chiwetel Ejiofor, “Be Prepared” is more of a dramatic monologue that only acquires a backbeat as it builds to its climax. The tune hasn’t been entirely omitted from the 2019 film as initially rumored, but it’s definitely not the full-throated version delivered by the previous Pride Rock-usurper. Jeremy Irons’s smoky-voiced rendition of “Be Prepared” - Scar’s menacing version of a standard “I want” song - is one of the musical highlights of the 1994 film. I thought that was very interesting and very real, because the women are, you know, we're the fighters."Ĭhiwetel Ejiofor voices Scar in The Lion King. "It was important to the director that Nala and the females in this film were heroes,” Knowles-Carter told Good Morning America in a recent interview. She remains the more nimble fighter as well, going claw-to-claw with hyena queen, Shenzi (Florence Kasumba) in the climactic rumble. As voiced by the singer, she’s as confident and sure-footed as the grieving Simba (Donald Glover) is hesitant and withdrawn. The adult Nala, meanwhile, gets her own song in the form of “Spirit,” an original tune released on Knowles-Carter’s compilation album, The Lion King: The Gift. ![]() (Not for nothing, but it’s also a reminder that, in the wild, lionesses are better hunters.) And Joseph has a larger presence in McCrary’s first musical number, “I Just Can’t Wait to be King,” which has been refashioned here into more of a tag-team duet between Nala and Simba versus John Oliver’s busybody bird, Zazu. While the 1994 cartoon already depicted young Nala - voiced here by Broadway star, Shahadi Wright Joseph - besting Simba (JD McCrary) in their playfighting, Favreau draws increased attention to her strength and agility. (Photo: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures / courtesy Everett Collection)Įven before Queen Bey herself, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, takes over vocal duties as the grown-up version of Simba’s childhood pal, Nala is every bit the royal heir’s equal. The live-action reboot, directed by Favreau, is slated for a July 19, 2019, release.Beyoncé Knowles-Carter voices Nala and Donald Glover is Simba in The Lion King. The Oscar-nominated 1994 animated feature version of The Lion King has grossed more than $968 million worldwide and inspired the long-running Tony-nominated musical, directed by Julie Taymor. Jeff Nathanson ( Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales) pens the script for the live-action adaptation, which is being produced by Jon Favreau and Jeffrey Silver. Oliver has previously voiced characters in The Smurfs, The Smurfs 2, Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja, The Simpsons, Danger Mouse, and Bob's Burgers. Oliver joins a cast that will also feature Donald Glover as the voice of Simba, Seth Rogen as the voice of Pumbaa, Billy Eichner as the voice of Timon, and James Earl Jones reprising the role of Mufasa, which he also voiced in the original. He fills the shoes of Rowan Atkinson, who voiced the lovable red-billed hornbill in the original 1994 animated film. It was announced yesterday that political comedian John Oliver, best known as the host of HBO's Last Week Tonight, will voice the role of Zazu in Disney's upcoming live-action remake of The Lion King. ![]() John Oliver will play Zazu in the live-action remake of Disney's The Lion King.
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