This Is Who We Would Cast In Disney’s Live-Action “The Lion King”

Earlier this year, amidst the news of a future Lion King live-action film, director Jon Favreau announced via his Instagram that James Earl Jones (Fences, The Great White Hope) will be playing Mufasa and Donald Glover will be playing Simba. This weekend, recent intel was released courtesy of The BeyHive Team that claims Beyonce is in talks to play Nala as well as overseer the entire film soundtrack.

If the rumors are true, that’s already three all-stars on board to make this Lion King movie the best we’ve ever seen; possibly Disney’s best live-action remake to date. In regard to the rest of the principal cast, here is whom we’d love to see in the film:

Scar – Leslie Odom Jr.

Leslie Odom Jr. (Hamilton): Every great villain is an anti-hero in essence and we know for a fact that Leslie Odom Jr. can play a villain or rather, the misunderstood bad-guy. After winning a Tony last year for Best Actor in a Musical for his role as Burr in Hamilton, Odom Jr. has released his debut album, welcomed to the world his baby girl Lucy, and is currently writing his first book, “Failing Up: How to Rise Above, Do Better, and Never Stop Learning.” You can also look forward to seeing Odom Jr. in Murder on the Orient Express, in theaters this winter.

Rafiki – Cynthia Erivo

Cynthia Erivo (The Color Purple): I think we can all agree, Cynthia Erivo could play any and every role in a live-action Lion King film and it would be amazing! But to play Rafiki in particular- the wise old baboon who has the perfect song for every moment-would be a treat for us. Last year Erivo won a Tony for Best Actress in a Musical, for her role as Celie in the Broadway revival of The Color Purple. After The Color Purple closed in January she has filmed Widows opposite Viola Davis and Andre Holland. She will also be starring as Harriet Tubman in the Seth Mann biopic, to be released in 2018.

Timon – Todrick Hall

Todrick Hall (Kinky Boots): It’s hard to think of fan-made Disney content without thinking of Hall’s YouTube page with all of his Disney mashups and music video remakes (“Beauty and the Beat” is a personal favorite). He knows his Disney, and to play the hyperactive fast talking meerkat, Timon would be perfect! Hall recently starred as Lola in Kinky Boots on Broadway and in June, wrapped up his national tour Straight Outta Oz.

Pumbaa – Tituss Burgess

Tituss Burgess (Jersey Boy, The Little Mermaid): Burgess would redefine Pumbaa’s comedic relief giving us that intuitive warthog with a big heart and high tenor. Just imagine the “Hakuna Matata” remix sung by Hall and Burgess with Beyonce’s oversight. Burgess currently stars as The Andromedon in the Netflix Original Series, The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. He also recently bought the rights to the 1996 comedy The Preacher’s Wife that starred Whitney Houston and Denzel Washington, and is writing the score and music.

Zazu – Daveed Diggs

Daveed Diggs (Hamilton): It’s a pity Zazu, personal advisor to Mufasa, didn’t rap in the original animated film. But, who better to undertake this in the remake than Diggs? Last year, Diggs won a Tony for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his dual role as Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson, and was dubbed the fastest rapper on Broadway rapping 19 words in 3 seconds in Guns and Ships. Since leaving Hamilton, Diggs has a recurring role on Blackish and The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. He is also starring in the pilot Snowpiercer on TNT while serving as executive producer on The Mayor coming to ABC in the fall.