The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar, a new Disney Channel television movie, was announced a while ago, but now it has a release date and a teaser that looks a lot like the original Lion King.
Lion Guard stars Kion, Simba and Nala’s second born cub who
assembles a team of non-lions to protect the Prideland. They consist of a
cheetah, a hippo, an egret, and a honey badger WHO IS TIMON &
PUMBAA’S ADOPTIVE SON. So basically, they raised Simba and they enjoyed
it so much they raised another baby.
James Earl Jones and Ernie Sabella are returning as Mufasa and
Pumbaa. And yes, it’s going to be a musical. Hopefully with the Lion
Guard, there will no wildebeest troubles this time around? The Lion Guard will air November 22nd.
Thursday 17 December 2015
30 Facts About 'The Lion King'
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Disney
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1. According to “The Making of The Lion King,” the original opening scene featured a dialog introducing most of the main characters, but directors Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff scrapped it when they heard the final version of “Circle of Life.”
2. The result of this decision was so powerful that the opening scene was used as a trailer for the film, marking the first time Disney had ever made a trailer using a complete scene.
3. The first script (which was titled King of Beasts, then King of the Jungle) featured Scar as a lone lion, unrelated to Simba, who was in charge of a pack of vicious baboons. In this version, Rafiki was written as a cheetah and Timon and Pumbaa were both friends with Simba from the start.
4. The Lion King was the first Disney animated film to feature a completely original storyline—that is, one that was not an adaptation of a pre-existing story.
5. Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella, who played Timon and Pumbaa, originally auditioned to be hyenas. "They came to an audition in New York and they bumped into each other in the lobby, which is when they discovered they were both auditioning for the roles of hyenas," director Rob Minkoff said. "They asked the casting director if they could audition together and they were hilarious as they read their lines, but they didn’t seem right for the hyenas. That’s when we thought, ‘What if we use them as Timon and Pumbaa?’ It was the perfect fit.” Cheech Marin and Whoopi Goldberg were cast as the hyenas instead.
6. Tommy Chong was supposed to play the third hyena opposite his former partner-in-crime, Marin, but when he couldn’t be reached, Jim Cummings was cast in his place.
7. Cummings is also the voice of the gopher who reports to Zazu in the film, and filled in for Jeremy Irons as Scar on last third of “Be Prepared” when Irons threw his voice out recording the song.
8. After Simba’s first encounter with the hyenas, the film was supposed to feature a lullaby sung by Sarabi called “The Lion in the Moon,” which was about a protective lion spirit.
9. “Hakuna Matata” wasn't originally in the script; instead, there was a song about eating bugs called "He's Got it All Worked Out." According to Minkoff, "We couldn’t convince everybody that making the entire song about eating bugs was a good idea. Soon after, the research team came back from their trip to Africa with the phrase ‘Hakuna Matata’. We talked about it in a meeting with Tim Rice—and that’s when the idea struck. I remember Tim saying, ‘Hmmm… Hakuna Matata. It’s a bit like Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo.’ A song was born!”
10. The Lion King is the highest-grossing hand-drawn animated feature of all time with a total box office of over $987 million; it is also the third highest-grossing animated feature in general, the 19th highest-grossing film of all time, and the best-selling videotape of all time.
11. According to the film's press notes, the wildebeest stampede scene took Disney CGI animators more than two years to create and involved writing a new computer program to govern the movements of the herd.
12. A hyena researcher sued Disney for “defamation of character” for its portrayal of the animals in the film.
13. The film’s first director, George Scribner (who also directed Oliver and Company), wanted the movie to be a sort of animated National Geographic feature and left the film when the decision was made to turn it into a musical.
14. The Lion King was actually made by a “B-Team” of Disney animators since the “A-Team” had elected to focus on the picture they thought would be more successful— Pocahontas.
15. Wildlife expert Jim Fowler brought real African animals like hornbills and lions at different stages of life into the Disney studio to serve as figure models for the team of animators working on the film.
16. Rafiki is actually something of a cross between a mandrill and a baboon as true mandrills do not have tails.
17. An earthquake in 1994 forced the Disney Studios to close down temporarily and much of the film was finished in the artists’ homes.
18. A number of characters developed for the film were written completely out of the script, including a tagalong little brother for Nala named Mheetu (who Simba was originally supposed to save from the stampede) and another friend of Nala’s named Bhati—a wise-cracking bat-eared fox. There was also, at one point, a lizard named Iggy, and another meerkat named Tesma (a mopey relative of Timon); the hyenas had originally been written as cape hunting dogs.
19. One small yellow beetle that Timon finds under a log has Mickey ears on its back.
20. In November 1991, Disney sent a team of animators to Hell’s Gate National Park in Kenya to do research for the film. Most of the landscapes in the finished movie are based on this park—but not Pride Rock itself, which was created by a Disney artist in Burbank.
21. Screenwriter Irene Mecchi said in “The Making of The Lion King” that the idea for the movie was first presented to her as “Hamlet in Africa with Bambi thrown in, so Bamblet.”
22. Before Rowan Atkinson of Mr. Bean fame was cast as the finicky hornbill Zazu, several former members of Monty Python were considered for the role, as was Patrick Stewart.
23. “Hakuna Matata” originally had an extra verse in which Timon explained his difficulty fitting in with other meerkats.
24. In the film's press notes, Tim Rice is said to have been through about 15 iterations of lyrics for “Can You Feel the Love Tonight.” The Elton John recording that plays during the credits (and won an Oscar) was the first version of the song.
25. The original final fight sequence had Simba losing to Scar, though Scar then died in a fire.
26. The American Film Institute lists The Lion King as the fourth best animated film of all time.
27. SEX in a dust cloud? Animators claimed this was supposed to say “SFX,” and was meant as an innocent nod to the art department.
28. James Earl Jones (voice of Mufasa) and Madge Sinclair (voice of Sarabi) played an African king and queen together in the 1988 Eddie Murphy comedy, Coming to America.
29. According to a 1995 article in Entertainment Weekly, Disney made more than $1 billion on Lion King merchandise in 1994.
30. Matthew Broderick (voice of Adult Simba) first thought he was going to be working on a remake of a 1960s Japanese anime show called Kimba the White Lion when he read the script, though Disney has denied any connection between the two projects.
Why I Love: The TRUE Tony Hawk 5 (starring Timon and Pumbaa)
Even if you're a diehard fan of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater,
there could be a crucial blind spot in your appreciation for the series.
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5
isn't the sequel we were all hoping for, but if you're looking to
relive the Birdman's glory days in all-new, unfamiliar skateparks, then
the true fifth game in the series has got you covered. I'm
talking, of course, about Disney's Extreme Skate Adventure. No other
skating game lets you cruise around as dynamic animal duo Timon and
Pumbaa riding a shared board, or do flip tricks on a frying pan as Terk,
the female gorilla voiced by a Rosie O'Donnell soundalike.
Perhaps you've seen this game before, but dismissed it as kid-friendly shlock destined for a bargain bin. Extreme Skate Adventure was developed by Toys for Bob (now famous for the Skylanders series) rather than Neversoft, and revolves around three timeless Disney properties: Toy Story, Tarzan, and The Lion King (ok, maybe Tarzan is something of an outlier). But just think about that concept for a second. Here's a game where you can grind around the base of Pride Rock as Simba (who's riding a physically improbable shield-turned-skateboard), or make Woody do some sweet grabs with his toy 'board off the half-pipe shaped playsets scattered around Andy's Room. If that premise doesn't immediately excite you, I hate to think what's become of your inner child. And I can assure you: the game is just as wonderful as whatever you're imagining right now.
For my money, the series peaked with Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4: its levels are crafted with the same combo-facilitating care as THPS3's but without the two-minute time limits, giving you the freedom to skate around busting out sick combos at your leisure. THPS4 also has a far more interesting mission structure, asking you to seek out NPCs who trigger mini-vignettes, some of which will persistently alter parts of the stage. Here's the kicker: Disney's Extreme Skate Adventure uses the exact same engine as THPS4, save for balance and manual meters that are slightly more forgiving (y'know, for the little ones who haven't mastered Tony's controls over the course of four games).
Now, merely being built with the same game engine does not a spiritual successor make. But by some miracle, Toys for Bob managed to make a mixture of THPS and Disney that feels wholly authentic to both of these wildly unalike influences. The skatable versions of vistas like Pizza Planet, Tarzan's Treehouse, and Scar's Canyon all look the part, while still nailing the overlapping trick lines layouts, hidden secrets, and sense of place that define the best THPS levels. The soundtrack is a scant 13 songs, many of which are sugary singles you might hear on Radio Disney - but they still manage to cover a wide range of genres (including grunge and rap!), and I could listen to classics like 'Sell Out' by Reel Big Fish and 'Where's Your Head At' by Basement Jaxx all day.
Oh, and the characters! Sure, Tony Hawk and his real-world peers all seem like fine folks - but they've got nothing on the likes of Buzz Lightyear, Tantor, and Rafiki. Incredibly, many of the iconic cameos are voiced by their original actors; for instance, Toy Story's Emperor Zurg, Hamm, and the adorable Wheezy all sound like the genuine article because they are. Heck, they even got Tom Hanks' younger brother Jim to do the voice of Woody. In addition to the usual kickflips and indy grabs, every skater has a variety of lovingly themed tricks that play off their cartoony proportions.
So yes, the real Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5 has nothing to do with Tony Hawk. Come to think of it, Disney's Extreme Skate Adventure is factually the fifth game in the series, given that it was released a full two months before THUG. You should be able to find a used copy (and a console to play it on) for a pittance, and shame shouldn't be a factor - I'll gladly tell anyone that I played this game to full completion in my late teens. Truly, it is the Kingdom Hearts of skating games, and it is straight-up magical. If you grew up playing Tony Hawk games and watching The Lion King - as I hope was the case for every '90s kid - then Disney's Extreme Skate Adventure is must-play material.
Perhaps you've seen this game before, but dismissed it as kid-friendly shlock destined for a bargain bin. Extreme Skate Adventure was developed by Toys for Bob (now famous for the Skylanders series) rather than Neversoft, and revolves around three timeless Disney properties: Toy Story, Tarzan, and The Lion King (ok, maybe Tarzan is something of an outlier). But just think about that concept for a second. Here's a game where you can grind around the base of Pride Rock as Simba (who's riding a physically improbable shield-turned-skateboard), or make Woody do some sweet grabs with his toy 'board off the half-pipe shaped playsets scattered around Andy's Room. If that premise doesn't immediately excite you, I hate to think what's become of your inner child. And I can assure you: the game is just as wonderful as whatever you're imagining right now.
For my money, the series peaked with Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4: its levels are crafted with the same combo-facilitating care as THPS3's but without the two-minute time limits, giving you the freedom to skate around busting out sick combos at your leisure. THPS4 also has a far more interesting mission structure, asking you to seek out NPCs who trigger mini-vignettes, some of which will persistently alter parts of the stage. Here's the kicker: Disney's Extreme Skate Adventure uses the exact same engine as THPS4, save for balance and manual meters that are slightly more forgiving (y'know, for the little ones who haven't mastered Tony's controls over the course of four games).
Now, merely being built with the same game engine does not a spiritual successor make. But by some miracle, Toys for Bob managed to make a mixture of THPS and Disney that feels wholly authentic to both of these wildly unalike influences. The skatable versions of vistas like Pizza Planet, Tarzan's Treehouse, and Scar's Canyon all look the part, while still nailing the overlapping trick lines layouts, hidden secrets, and sense of place that define the best THPS levels. The soundtrack is a scant 13 songs, many of which are sugary singles you might hear on Radio Disney - but they still manage to cover a wide range of genres (including grunge and rap!), and I could listen to classics like 'Sell Out' by Reel Big Fish and 'Where's Your Head At' by Basement Jaxx all day.
Oh, and the characters! Sure, Tony Hawk and his real-world peers all seem like fine folks - but they've got nothing on the likes of Buzz Lightyear, Tantor, and Rafiki. Incredibly, many of the iconic cameos are voiced by their original actors; for instance, Toy Story's Emperor Zurg, Hamm, and the adorable Wheezy all sound like the genuine article because they are. Heck, they even got Tom Hanks' younger brother Jim to do the voice of Woody. In addition to the usual kickflips and indy grabs, every skater has a variety of lovingly themed tricks that play off their cartoony proportions.
So yes, the real Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5 has nothing to do with Tony Hawk. Come to think of it, Disney's Extreme Skate Adventure is factually the fifth game in the series, given that it was released a full two months before THUG. You should be able to find a used copy (and a console to play it on) for a pittance, and shame shouldn't be a factor - I'll gladly tell anyone that I played this game to full completion in my late teens. Truly, it is the Kingdom Hearts of skating games, and it is straight-up magical. If you grew up playing Tony Hawk games and watching The Lion King - as I hope was the case for every '90s kid - then Disney's Extreme Skate Adventure is must-play material.
Humanized Timon and Pumbaa Aren’t as Creepy As You’d Think
Once again, courtesy of the fine folks over at DeviantArt, there’s a new sketch I want to share with you because I thought it was pretty damn cool. It’s artist Fernando Mendonca’s vision of what a humanized Timon and Pumbaa from The Lion King might look like, had they been real people rather than jungle critters.
I think it’s a pretty cool imagine, and I’d definitely be curious to see more characters rendered this way from the film. Simba would just be a cartoon Jonathan Taylor Thomas. What the hell ever happened to that kid anyway?
Monday 31 August 2015
Humanized Timon and Pumbaa Aren’t as Creepy As You’d Think
Once again, courtesy of the fine folks over at DeviantArt, there’s a new sketch I want to share with you because I thought it was pretty damn cool. It’s artist Fernando Mendonca’s vision of what a humanized Timon and Pumbaa from The Lion King might look like, had they been real people rather than jungle critters.
I think it’s a pretty cool imagine, and I’d definitely be curious to see more characters rendered this way from the film. Simba would just be a cartoon Jonathan Taylor Thomas. What the hell ever happened to that kid anyway?
timon & pumbaa's advenchers in penguins of madagascar part 1
as timon was walking with pumbaa he saw the portel.
timon:pumbaa time to meet new friends
pumbaa:but timon were are we going today?
timon:don't know.
they entered the portel
meanwhile
marlene was sunbathing when she saw the portel
skipper saw it as well
marlene:what tha?
just then timon steped out rideing pumbaa
skipper and marlene:huh?
timon:were are we pumbaa?
pumbaa:don't know
skipper:kowalski info!
kowalski:the 2 are males one a merkat and the other a worthog.
skipper:put the merkat on the recurt list and the might be marlene's date list.
privete:but skipper.
skipper:NOW!
timon:AAAAAAAA
marlene:hi
timon:hi my names timon
marlene:my names marlene
pumbaa:PUMBAA
marlene:...o.k
*timon blashs*
timon:(wow my hearts beating at a fast reat)
marlene:(I wounder why I'm so nervess around him)
pumbaa:(could timon and marlene be in love...nah they only known the other for 5mins.)
END OF PART 1
timon:pumbaa time to meet new friends
pumbaa:but timon were are we going today?
timon:don't know.
they entered the portel
meanwhile
marlene was sunbathing when she saw the portel
skipper saw it as well
marlene:what tha?
just then timon steped out rideing pumbaa
skipper and marlene:huh?
timon:were are we pumbaa?
pumbaa:don't know
skipper:kowalski info!
kowalski:the 2 are males one a merkat and the other a worthog.
skipper:put the merkat on the recurt list and the might be marlene's date list.
privete:but skipper.
skipper:NOW!
timon:AAAAAAAA
marlene:hi
timon:hi my names timon
marlene:my names marlene
pumbaa:PUMBAA
marlene:...o.k
*timon blashs*
timon:(wow my hearts beating at a fast reat)
marlene:(I wounder why I'm so nervess around him)
pumbaa:(could timon and marlene be in love...nah they only known the other for 5mins.)
END OF PART 1
timon and pumbaa's advingers in pom part 2
jane(timon's mom):oh were can my son be? uncle max have you seen timon? I've benn looking for him all though the savanna.
max:prabaliiy on a adventher with pumbaa.
jane:thats it.uncle max your a genuise.I'll go find timon.
meanwhile)
timon:by the way were do you live marlene?
(julion pops out of nowhere)
julion:morice what do you make of the 2 new pesents?
timon:whats with the ringtailed merrkat?
julion:how dare you call me a merrkat I am king julion lord of the lemers ruler of the ringtails etc etc etc.by the way marlene you look vary prity today.
(skipper and his men pop out of nowhere)
skipper:ringtail what are you talking about with the newbes and marlene?
julion:this new pesent of mine(points to timon)witch the sky sprits give to me called me a merrkat.
skipper:what makes you belive the sky sprits gave you the right to him?
julion:the sky sprits said so.
marlene:(in sarcasstike tone)right.
skipper:ringtail the newbes will be with marlene untill we make arangmeints for..whats your names?
timon:timon.
pumbaa:pumbaa.
kowalski:o..k
skipper:as I was saying for timon and pumbaa to live in the merrkat and worthog habits.
marlene:yes I geting 2 roonmates uh huh thats right its me.
skipper:I remember the last time marlene got a roomate.
marlene:plz skipper do not remind me of ronda.
timon:whos ronda?
marlene:ronda's my used to be roommate.long story.
timon:oh huh?
rico:bbbbebeb(well looks like that scean in the park was no lie of the eyes)
timon and marlene:*blash*
pumbaa:timon and marlene sitting in a tree K.I.S.S.I.N.G.
max:prabaliiy on a adventher with pumbaa.
jane:thats it.uncle max your a genuise.I'll go find timon.
meanwhile)
timon:by the way were do you live marlene?
(julion pops out of nowhere)
julion:morice what do you make of the 2 new pesents?
timon:whats with the ringtailed merrkat?
julion:how dare you call me a merrkat I am king julion lord of the lemers ruler of the ringtails etc etc etc.by the way marlene you look vary prity today.
(skipper and his men pop out of nowhere)
skipper:ringtail what are you talking about with the newbes and marlene?
julion:this new pesent of mine(points to timon)witch the sky sprits give to me called me a merrkat.
skipper:what makes you belive the sky sprits gave you the right to him?
julion:the sky sprits said so.
marlene:(in sarcasstike tone)right.
skipper:ringtail the newbes will be with marlene untill we make arangmeints for..whats your names?
timon:timon.
pumbaa:pumbaa.
kowalski:o..k
skipper:as I was saying for timon and pumbaa to live in the merrkat and worthog habits.
marlene:yes I geting 2 roonmates uh huh thats right its me.
skipper:I remember the last time marlene got a roomate.
marlene:plz skipper do not remind me of ronda.
timon:whos ronda?
marlene:ronda's my used to be roommate.long story.
timon:oh huh?
rico:bbbbebeb(well looks like that scean in the park was no lie of the eyes)
timon and marlene:*blash*
pumbaa:timon and marlene sitting in a tree K.I.S.S.I.N.G.
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