The Lion King remake might drop the original’s most iconic song

Though Lion King is filled with gems like “Can You Feel the Love Tonight?”, and “Be Prepared” is one of the best songs sung by a Disney villain of all time.

If the Lion King remake can actually get Beyoncé, you’d think it can pretty much do anything. After all, director Jon Favreau surprised everyone in 2016 with The Jungle Book live-action remake. The cast includes big names like Donald Glover, Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen, so most of it seems like it will come together rather easily.

But Lion King is more than just a tale of a young lion cub who couldn’t wait to be king. Most of the film’s narrative (as is the case with most Disney films) is told through its songs. Of course, everyone could name a different one as their favorite, but “Be Prepared” features so many layers beyond just the lyrics that it’s easily one of the best villain themes of all time.

And it’s because of these layers that Disney’s decision to omit feels understandable.

The lyrics of the song describe a rising coup that begins with Scar’s plot to murder his brother. Then, it delves into certain themes that may not be suitable for a live-action/CGI remake, like the underlying Nazi imagery.

While Favreau could easily try to tackle some of these things head on, to do it in a way that does justice to the original film without stepping on too many toes in 2019’s cinematic climate while also creating a film that satisfies old fans and new in a family-friendly take that aims to hit one billion at the box office … suffice it to say, the director has a lot on his plate.

Especially since they’re trying to write a new song for Beyoncé anyway.

As Elton John explained to The Sun:

"There’s going to be four of our songs in the film, from the original: Can You Feel The Love Tonight?, Hakuna Matata, I Just Can’t Wait To Be King and Circle of Life. And then there will be an end, closing song, and we’ve been speaking to Beyonce’s people and hopefully Tim and I and her can cook up something."

As unfortunate at it might feel not to see “Be Prepared” on the big screen, just imagine that it could be way worse. Disney could try to cut out all the singing and just wait for fans to revolt.

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Whatever ends up in the final cut, it’s probably going to be for the best. In Disney history, there are plenty of songs that almost made it into the theatrical release and were left out for the better.

The Lion King remake hits theaters on July 19, 2019.