Since the release of the new The Lion King trailer, fans have questioned Disney’s obsession with producing live-action films instead of the cartoons that first put them on the map.

With successful remakes like Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella already under their belt, Disney has planned a star-studded lineup of upcoming live-action movies, a film on real people or animals as opposed to animation. Over twenty of these movies are scheduled to be released in a short period of time, including The Lion King, which will debut in mid-2019. The movie’s record-shattering trailer follows the same format as the original, featuring memorable scenes set in the Pride Lands, and racked up 224 million views in just one day.

“At first I was little skeptical, but it was actually really interesting,” Emma McDowell, a Disney fan and Woodside senior, explained. “The graphic design that has been used to create the [computer graphics interface] is really amazing, and it’s cool to see how far the film has come.”

Many agree that the film appears to combine the beloved original with the technological advancements of today.

“Thank goodness [that] James Earl Jones is still alive to carry on the voice of Mufasa,” Thomas Gonzales, the assistant editor at Pixar Animation Studios, noted. “It would be tough to try and cover that voice with another actor.”

Gonzales is known for working on box office smashes such as Incredibles 2, Coco, Finding Dory, and Up, just to name a few. As for why Disney is releasing so many live action remakes, there are a number of theories.

“I heard Walt Disney requested that every ten years a movie should be remade so the new generation can enjoy [the classics] just as the old generation did,” McDowell commented.

Other fans noted that the use of new software can completely change the experience of the movie.

“Technology now can drive the story in a more realistic fashion,” Gonzales declared. “This allows for audiences who did not see the originals to get a better perspective. Even those who viewed the originals can get a chance to relive the story in an advanced format.”

This new format has challenged and transformed many different animation studios in order for them to compete in the new market.

“The style has an educational impact on Pixar,” Gonzales added. “The studio is always trying to push the envelope to incorporate art and technology in a seamless fashion. Pixar strives to learn as much as possible by watching other films to see what the movie industry is doing.”

The fanbase is eagerly awaiting July 21 for the film to hit theatres and, on the whole, has been beyond supportive of the change.

“I can’t wait to go see The Lion King; it looks like it is going to be a real hit!” Woodside senior Colleen Sochan exclaimed.