Disney’s upcoming Jon Favreau-directed re-imagining of The Lion King will reportedly include a rendition of “Be Prepared,” the classic “villain song” performed by Scar (Jeremy Irons) in the original 1994 animated film.
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“I get this question a lot, but I’ve heard ‘Be Prepared’ will indeed be in The Lion King remake,” Skyler Shuler of The DisInsider wrote on Twitter.
It has long been believed Scar, voiced in the remake by Doctor Strange star Chiwetel Ejiofor, would not perform the song in which he declares to his hyena minions his plot to murder brother and Pride Lands king Mufasa (James Earl Jones).
Elton John, who penned music for The Lion King with Tim Rice, told The Sun last February the new film will repurpose four original songs and bring to screen an end credits anthem performed by adult Nala actress Beyoncé.
Because John neglected to mention “Be Prepared,” speculation has run rampant the song had been excised — prompting expressions of disappointment from fans.
“They need to have a new end credits song,” John said.
“There’s going to be four of our songs in the film, from the original: ‘Can You Feel The Love Tonight?’ ‘Hakuna Matata,’ ‘I Just Can’t Wait To Be King,’ and ‘Circle of Life.’ And then there will be an end, closing song, and we’ve been speaking to Beyoncé’s people and hopefully Tim and I and her can cook up something. That’s going out in 2019 as well. And it will be great to work with her. So we will see.”
The original “Be Prepared” famously proved so taxing for Irons the song was completed by longtime Disney voice actor and Winnie the Pooh star Jim Cummings after Irons’ voice gave out.
Following its first footage debut during the NFL’s primetime game on Thanksgiving — in which audiences were treated to a sliver of its famed “Circle of Life” opening number — the teaser trailer was crowned Disney’s second most-viewed trailer debut of all time, behind only Avengers: Infinity War.
Lion King was later pushed back to third place with the arrival of the first Avengers: Endgame trailer.
Starring Donald Glover, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner, John Oliver, John Kani, Eric Andre, Florence Kasumba, Keegan-Michael Key, Alfre Woodard and James Earl Jones, The Lion King releases July 19.
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Connie Chiume during the official South African Premiere of Disney's The Lion King at the Johannesburg Country Club on July 18, 2019 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The Lion King, a 2019 musical film produced by Walt Disney Pictures, is a photorealistic computer-animated remake of Disney's traditionally animated 1994 film The Lion King and stars voices of famous personalities like Donald Glover, John Kani, Beyonce Knowles-Carter and others.
