The Lion King (2019 film) In November, talking with ComingSoon.net, Favreau said the virtual cinematography technology he used in "The Jungle Book" would be used to a greater degree in "The Lion King". Although the media reported "The Lion King" to be a live-action film, it actually utilizes photorealistic computer-generated animation. Disney also did not describe it as live-action, only stating it would follow the "technologically groundbreaking" approach of "The Jungle Book". In mid-February 2017, Donald Glover was cast as Simba, with James Earl Jones reprising his role as Mufasa from the 1994 film. In April 2017, Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen were cast to
Simba "lazy and troublesome." "The Austin Chronicle"s Robert Faires felt that Simba and the other "Lion King "characters, though "true", were simply unoriginal retreads of preceding animated characters who were "swiped from other Disney cartoons." Hal Hinson of "The Washington Post" gave the character a negative review. Labeling Timon and Pumbaa the only interesting characters in "The Lion King", Hinson questioned Simba's role as the film's hero. Kenneth Turan of the "Los Angeles Times "agreed, "A movie's heroes may have their names above the title, but often as not it's the sidekicks who get the real work done." Turan went on