MOVIES

Jon Favreau to direct live-action version of 'The Lion King'

Bryan Alexander
USA TODAY
The original animated 'The Lion King.'

Behold and rejoice: Disney's animated 1994 classic The Lion King is coming to the big screen again, in live-action form.

Jon Favreau will direct the live-action "reimagining," Walt Disney Studios announced Wednesday. Favreau also tweeted the news.

No release date or details were given about the production. But a post on Disney's website did point out that the live-action version will include songs from the original hit movie.

Simba (from left, voiced by Matthew Broderick), Timon (Nathan Lane) and Pumbaa (Ernie Sabella) in the original 'Lion King.'

The Lion King is one of the biggest animated films of all time, with a global box office of $968.5 million. It won Academy Awards for original song Can You Feel the Love Tonight (Elton John and Tim Rice) and original score (Hans Zimmer), along with two Grammys. The soundtrack has sold more than 14 million copies.

In 1997, the stage production made its Broadway debut, winning six Tony Awards.

Disney's 'The Jungle Book' has been one of very few remakes to hit big with audiences. The movie was so successful, a second installment was green-lit almost immediately.

Favreau scored big with his live-action take on The Jungle Book in April ($965.8 million worldwide) and is at work on a sequel.

The Lion King news continues Disney's push towards live-action tales — among them, Maleficent, Cinderella and the upcoming Beauty and the Beast, starring Emma Watson as Belle, in 2017.