Disney recreated an iconic scene from the original “Lion King” movie in the CinemaCon footage from the 2019 “Lion King” remake. Although the footage warned fans that the sound mix and VFX were not complete yet at the time of the unveiling, what fans saw at CinemaCon was nothing less spectacular.

The new footage from Jon Favreau’s “The Lion King,” a computer-animated remake of the 1994 Disney classic, finally debuted at the CinemaCon in Las Vegas on Wednesday. The exclusive clip offered a glimpse of the animal characters speaking for the first time as it harked back to one of the most remarkable scenes in the original film.

In the footage, a young Simba urges his dad, Mufasa, to wake up so they can go patrolling together. As the two climb up to survey the kingdom, Mufasa sits on a rock and tells his son, “someday, sun will set on my time and rise to you as the new king … it’s ours to protect — a responsibility.”

In what must be a sentimental father-and-son moment, Mufasa tells his son the responsibilities that come with ruling the kingdom, as well as the delicate balance of life and death. He then advises Simba, “We are all connected in the great circle of life.”

Zazu also makes an appearance in the clip as Mufasa and Simba come across him while they walk around and listen to him ramble about the morning report. The encounter then leads to an instant pouncing lesson that ends with an infuriated Zazu, a proud Simba and a tickled Mufasa.

The footage earned praises at the CinemaCon for its impressive incorporation of the latest live-action production techniques. What fans saw in the clip felt extremely familiar because of its beat-for-beat storytelling, but it offered something that the original film did not — a more polished and photorealistic depiction of everything, from the English-speaking animals down to the stunning African savannah.

Walt Disney Motion Picture Group President Sean Bailey revealed that director Jon Favreau and his team are using the latest virtual production techniques in making the film, hence a more realistic live-action remake of the 1994 classic. “We are going to use a lot of virtual reality tools so it feels akin to what you are looking at,” VFX supervisor Rob Legato said.

“The Lion King” remake hits theaters on July 19.

Jon Favreau
Actor Jon Favreau attends the world premiere of “Solo: A Star Wars Story” in Hollywood on May 10, 2018. He is directing the 2019 remake of "The Lion King." Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney

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