Sadly, Marvel Studios has yet to release a trailer for its upcoming fourth Avengers film, but all the excitement about its possible release over the Thanksgiving holiday didn’t stop its parent company Disney from dropping some The Lion King goodness on us. The teaser trailer for the live-action (re: photorealistic CGI) remake of the 1994 cartoon classic pulled in some pretty big numbers during its first 24 hours, but that doesn’t mean director Jon Favreau’s latest is done making news.
According to Variety, comedian Amy Sedaris has joined an already-massive voice cast that includes the likes of Donald Glover, Beyonce, James Earl Jones, Seth Rogen, and Billy Eichner. Unlike these performers, however, Sedaris will actually be voicing a totally brand new character that Favreau and company created specifically for the remake. Per the report, “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.”
Obviously, this iteration of The Lion King wasn’t going to be exactly the same as the original. Sure, as the viral side-by-side trailer comparison revealed, Favreau and his team have recreated some of the movie’s most iconic shots. But what would a remake be without at least a few tweaks here and there? Plus, when it comes to voice acting talent, Sedaris is one of the best in the business. She’s been hassling Will Arnett’s BoJack in Netflix’s BoJack Horseman as Princess Carolyn, so her The Lion King character will surely be just as great when she debuts next summer.
(Via Variety)
