Comedian John Oliver Joins Disney’s Live-Action ‘Lion King’ Remake
Director Jon Favreau’s upcoming live-action reimagining of the classic animated film The Lion King is the next stop on Disney’s never-ending remake hype train. Several cast additions have already been announced including the lovable duo Timon & Pumbaa, Donald Glover as Simba, and the welcome return of James Earl Jones as the lion king himself Mufasa. Now, a new interesting casting has been revealed, courtesy of The Wrap. According to the outlet, John Oliver, British comedian and host of political satire program Last Week Tonight, has been cast in Disney’s The Lion King remake as Zazu, the red-billed hornbill.
As fans of the cartoon know, Zazu fills the role of the Mufasa’s advisor, and often guardian / babysitter to the king’s son Simba. Zazu is characterized by his stuffy demeanor and uptight abidement of the rules, which frequently makes the bird the butt of the young Simba’s jokes. This role seems to suit John Oliver well, as the comedian’s Last Week Tonight stint has been filled to the brim with self-deprecating humor and dry informative bits.
Oliver is no stranger to the world of voice acting either, having provided the voice for “Vanity Smurf” in 2011’s The Smurfs and it’s 2013 follow-up. He’s also lended his voice talents to TV animation in Fox’s The Simpsons and Bob’s Burgers on a few occasions. With the addition of John Oliver, the cast for Disney’s The Lion King remake is already looking pretty well-rounded. Still, quite a few key roles are left to be filled, including the villainous Scar and the goofy baboon Rafiki.
What do you think? Is John Oliver the perfect choice to play Zazu, or should it have been someone else? Who is your pick to portray Scar? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to follow DFTG on Twitter for the latest gaming and entertainment news 24 hours a day! For more of the latest casting news, check out the few links below:
- Marvel’s New Warriors TV Series Announces Cast for Squirrel Girl, Mister Immortal, and Others
- Spider-Man: Homecoming Actress Confirms She Will Be in Avengers: Infinity War
- Major Middle-Earth: Shadow of War Voice Actor Roles Confirmed
- New Villain and Hero for Marvel’s Luke Cage Season 2 Have Been Identified and Cast
Eric Hall2712 Posts
Phone-browsing Wikipedia in one hand and clutching his trusty controller in the other, the legendary Eric Hall spreads his wealth of knowledge as a writer for Don't Feed the Gamers. Be sure to catch his biweekly "Throwback Thursday" segment for a nostalgic look at trivia from the past.
