"Whatever your feelings on Disney remakes, this one will blow you away" - The first reactions to The Lion King are in

lion king remake
(Image credit: Disney)

The Lion King remake had its world premiere last night and the first reactions are in. With the debate over the merits of CGI versus animation still raging, everyone’s asking whether it holds up to the 1994 classic, or is one of the hotly-anticipated new Disney movies one live-action remake too far? We’ve collected the best and brightest Lion King reactions for you down below so you can see for yourself before the movie’s release on July 19.

Note: the initial reactions posted after these screenings are often different from the critical consensus. Official reviews will be on the internet later this month - keep an eye on the GamesRadar website for TotalFilm’s review. 

Return of the King

According to those who were present at the Lion King world premiere, Disney’s decision to return to the plains of Africa 25 (!) years later is a welcome one. You’ll be hit right in the nostalgia feels, that’s for sure.

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How are the visuals?

We can’t ignore the elephant in the room now, can we? Hollywood loves to suggest that new technology is always better, though many will disagree with that, especially when it comes to the Lion King remake. The early verdict is… pretty good, actually.

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New stars of the show

With a star-studded cast featuring the likes of Beyonce and Donald Glover, it can be easy to overlook the comic relief. Thankfully, Seth Rogen and Billy Eichner as Timon and Pumba bring plenty of hyena-esque belly laughs.

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From the outside looking in

Not everyone has a ticket to the Lion King world premiere. For the vast majority of the audience, the next week is going to drag. Only a handful were in attendance - the rest had to vent their frustrations on Twitter.

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Bradley Russell

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.