Disney's Lion King 2019 Soundtrack DOES Include 'Be Prepared'
Disney’s new take on the animated classic The Lion King will include Scar’s iconic song, “Be Prepared.” Following the trend of remakes and live-action versions that has been running in the entertainment industry for years now, Disney is bringing The Lion King back, though not exactly in what can be called a “live-action version.”
Directed by Jon Favreau, The Lion King is a photorealistic CGI remake, in the style of Favreau's The Jungle Book. The animated version has a special place in the hearts of fans in big part thanks to its memorable soundtrack, with songs by Tim Rice and Elton John, and scored by Hans Zimmer. Among the first questions about this new version was if it would include those songs we all know by heart. Luckily, it does, including Scar’s big musical number.
As reported by Collider, The Lion King soundtrack includes the song “Be Prepared,” performed by Chiwetel Ejiofor. Although it’s the song we all know, it has been reworked by John himself, as well as the rest of the songs from the original version that are coming back: “Circle of Life,” “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King,” “Hakuna Matata,” and “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” - these last three produced by Pharrell Williams.
In addition to that, the brand new song by Rice and John that will play during the end credits is titled “Never Too Late,” performed by John and with African choir arrangements by Lebo M. Zimmer's score was also reworked, with the help of the Re-Collective Orchestra and the Hollywood Studio Symphony. According to the press release, Zimmer’s goal was to “rehearse and record the score like a live concert performance,” so we can probably expect a much more powerful vibe from this new take on the score.
Although the film has songs from the original one, and The Lion King trailers and spots have shown some of the most iconic scenes from the animated version, it's not a shot-for-shot remake. Favreau has explained that there will be new scenes that will add to the story, both visually and emotionally, but some scenes were too memorable to be changed or left out. It will be a new experience with characters we have known for years.
Most live-action Disney films haven’t been received as well as expected, but The Lion King (through trailers and official images) has been met with positive reactions so far, and with the addition of those classic songs, it’s on its way to become one of the best products from Disney’s “live-action” wave.
Source: Collider