The official Lion King trailer has landed and here are our takeaways

Tissues at the ready...

(Image credit: Disney)

A wimba way, a wimba way...

Words by Maisie Bovingdon

The Lion King Disney remake is set to be a HUGE hit when it comes to the big screen this Summer (July 19th - get it in the diary).

How do we know? Because in just a few hours since the release of the official trailer, it was already the second most trending vid on the site with almost 10 million views.

Here's what has got us talking from the one minute 48 second clip...

The graphics

My oh my, they're good.

When it comes to animating animals, we questioned how realistic it would ACTUALLY be. Answer: Very!!!

The mane looks fluffy to the touch, especially Mufasa's as it blows in the wind while they recreate one of the iconic tearjerker moments from the 1994 classic.

Let's be real, we all want to reach out and stroke Simba's fuzzy mane when he's a cub, and then there's Scar who looks every bit the bedraggled predator you'd imagine. And THEN there's the iconic coming of age/boy to man/ cub to leader of the pride scene when Simba is walking behind Timone and Pumba - you know the one.

Oh the wonders of CGI.

Zazu who?

When the bird plonked itself on the ground beside Simba in the trailer it took us all a moment to realise WHO it was; 'Oh Zazu, right', 'I see that now'.

The winged creature we know and love was vibrant with a colourful beak and wings, a little fuller frame and full of sass.

But the one that plopped down on the desert looked grey and dishevelled with just black and white feathers, and very scrawny looking.

Stampede scene

Where do we start? The crux of the entire film and what makes The Lion King (arguably) the most heartbreaking Disney production.

The graphics are insane, it is as intense as the original (even if we have watched it over and over again), and the setting is true to life.

This part of the trailer misses out THE moment that will tug on everyone's heartstrings (when Mufasa dies), and THANK HEAVENS it does because I don't think my heart could cope, and I've got a few months to psych myself up for that moment.

The script

When it comes to remakes we always fear that iconic moments will be missed out from the original, but from the under brief clip all the iconic quotes we know, and love, and recited as a child are in there.

From Mufasa's pep talk to Simba to Scar's threat urging Simba to run away and leave Pride Rock, there is not a quote left unsaid.

Then there's the one we all can't help but join in and sing 'A wimba way, a wimba way, a oooooooh'....

The Lion King

The Lion King
(Image credit: Disney)

Timone and Pumba's duet

The start of the trailer is intense, but things take a lighter tone when Timone and Pumba surface.

The best part is when the globe's much loved duo belt out 'Lion Sleeps Tonight' as the meerkat rides on the warthog's back, and reminds us of their witty one liners in the movie.

Is there a more iconic pair?

Did you forget, Beyonce is in it?

Guilty! We almost forgot about Beyonce, until the credits rolled.

There are glimpses of Nala throughout the trailer, but Simba's future wife never speaks, or sings for that matter, which we were hoping she would.

Bring on July 19th, we are ready for you!

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