Just like Sonic the Hedgehog or any number of characters from Detective Pikachu, Disney’s upcoming motion-capture revival of their animated classic The Lion King has fans on the internet screaming “Nightmare fuel!” This time around, it’s the photorealistic take on Simba’s buddy Pumbaa that is making fans run for the door, revealed in high resolution as part of a rollout of character posters earlier today. Looking very much like his animated counterpart (except, y’know — more like he might be in real life), Pumbaa combines teeth, horns, and an oddly-shaped head for a truly unsettling close-up for the movie poster’s “camera.”
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You can always rely on fans on Twitter to provide some thoughtful and hilarious takes on something like this, and so of course that’s where we went…!
Disney’s The Lion King, directed by Jon Favreau (The Jungle Book), journeys to the African savanna where a future king is born. Simba idolizes his father, King Mufasa, and takes to heart his own royal destiny. But not everyone in the kingdom celebrates the new cub’s arrival. Scar, Mufasa’s brother—and former heir to the throne—has plans of his own. The battle for Pride Rock is ravaged with betrayal, tragedy and drama, ultimately resulting in Simba’s exile. With help from a curious pair of newfound friends, Simba will have to figure out how to grow up and take back what is rightfully his.
Staying true to the classic story, director Jon Favreau utilizes pioneering filmmaking techniques to bring the iconic characters to the big screen in a whole new way. Featuring the voices of Donald Glover as Simba, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter as Nala, James Earl Jones as Mufasa, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Scar, Seth Rogen as Pumbaa and Billy Eichner as Timon.
Is this not a children’s movie?
are we just gonna ignore how fucking terrifying pumbaa is??? is this not a children’s movie??? https://t.co/Ebm6sNQ730
— arabella (@schezrehn) May 30, 2019
Where’s the color?!
Did they think Pumbaa being red was unrealistic? Because there are warthogs out there that are red. Just saying.🤷♂️#lionking pic.twitter.com/WFoyEVY0Tt
— Lutbarg (@Lutbarg) May 30, 2019
Is he going to kill me?
bro just wondering why pumbaa looks like he’s ready to kill me behind a chillis
— al (@blankwaste) May 30, 2019
Here for it
yo this movie is gonna be a nightmare and i’m here for it
— LeahBlizz (@leahblizz) May 30, 2019
Still haunted by Sonic
I will not be weighing in on the “horrifying photorealistic Pumbaa” discourse as I’m still haunted by feelings of complicity in body shaming toothy Sonic out of existence
— JuanPa (@jpbrammer) May 30, 2019
Wrong movie, bro
Pumbaa looks like he walked in from the set of The Witch. pic.twitter.com/MvxFIucl2A
— Scott Stamper (@DerfelMacGuffin) May 30, 2019
Therapist’s advice
Therapist: It’s okay, photo realistic Pumbaa isn’t real & can’t hurt you.
— Funky Funky (@LordFunkyFist) May 30, 2019
Photo realistic Pumbaa: pic.twitter.com/Xy0Aot1awX
Dead End Job
Pumbaa: Married with 3 kids, works a dead end job, hates his life/wife/ and wonders why he had kids at all
— ANXSR (@ANXSR3) May 31, 2019
Timon: Single, started his own company, moisturizes, goes to the gym, and eats twinks as part of a balanced diet.#TheLionKing pic.twitter.com/gayu74kNjT
One for Zazu, too
they should have worked on making pumbaa more cute instead of focusing so much energy on making zazu look exactly like john oliver pic.twitter.com/fggQ4jIjyP
— 🌟mad🌟 (@madxicanx) May 30, 2019
…On the other hand…
What the hell yall thought Pumbaa was suppose to look like? Piglet? pic.twitter.com/c7HKcC4OiZ
— DKT (@darleneturner53) May 30, 2019
What do you think of Pumbaa and the other “live-action” interpretations of Disney’s classic characters? Chime in below or hit us up on Twitter to join the discussion.
The Lion King hits theaters on July 19th.
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