Amy Sedaris To Play Brand New Character In Favreau’s THE LION KING

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The anticipation for Jon Favreau’s The Lion King remake is still riding high going into the new week after the release of the film’s first teaser trailer over Thanksgiving weekend. The trailer was a huge success, with the Disney marketing team opting to once again dip into the pool of nostalgia by showcasing a choice number of photorealistic versions of iconic moments from the 1994 animated original. Yet despite the advertising pointing to fan-favorite moments, we do know that at least some elements of Favreau’s upcoming remake will differ from the original.

For instance, Variety reports that veteran comedian Amy Sedaris has been cast for a new role in The Lion King. The site stated that Sedaris “will voice an animal brand new to the kingdom that was established in the 1994 animated classic. Under the purview of director Jon Favreau, Sedaris will play an elephant shrew — so named for long noses that resemble elephant trunks, the tiny mammal is native to Africa and known for its top speed.”

While some might find it sacrilegious to make changes to a film as entrenched in pop culture as The Lion King, I actually welcome Favreau putting his own twist to the story. For my money, the original animated film was always more of a collection of these all-time great moments in the Disney lexicon (I’d argue the finest of all is either the Beast’s transformation or Simba’s ascension to the throne), with the connecting story tissue not quite living up to expectations. For example, I think Favreau could really improve the tale by developing both Simba and Nala a little more as adults in the film’s second half.

What about you? Are you excited to meet Sedaris’ new character in Favreau’s The Lion King next year? Be sure to leave a comment down below!

SOURCE: Variety