Watch: 'Lion King' teaser homages original

Disney's July 2019 remake of "The Lion King" showcases how realistic CGI updates key scenes from the 1994 animated movie original, while focusing on young cub Simba, his father Mufasa, and wise baboon Rafiki.

From the sun rising over hot savanna plains to Simba held aloft by the kingdom's shaman Rafiki, this teaser trailer for "The Lion King," set to appear in theaters July 19, shows how Disney and director Jon Favreau are sticking close to their source material.

Some 25 years on, James Earl Jones returns as Simba's father Mufasa, surrounded by a new cast: Donald Glover as Simba, Seth Rogen and Billy Eichner as kind buddies Pumbaa and Timon, Chiwetel Ejiofor as cruel uncle Scar, Beyoncé as childhood friend Nala, and more.

Yet here we really only get a brief glimpse of Simba, briefer still of Rifiki, then Mufasa and lion queen Sarabi, with this tease focused on setting the scene -- and setting our expectations with it.

For this is not an identical shot-for-shot replication -- there are compositional changes and a re-recorded soundtrack that emphasizes sung vocals -- preparing us for another "Lion King" that may bring something extra beyond its visual overhaul.

And, by cutting short of the 1994 trailer's full length, omitting its wider cast of characters, Disney prepares us for upcoming previews that introduce more of Simba's world and story.

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