The Lion King: Disney confirms live-action movie is in the works

The film will be directed by The Jungle Book's Jon Favreau and will include songs from the original film

It was inevitable that the live-action Disney machine would make its way to the beloved The Lion King.

That day has come. The studio has confirmed that a live-action take on the classic 1994 animation is on the fast track to production (via Den of Geek), with The Jungle Book's Jon Favreau taking up directing duties and featuring tracks from the original film.

The director himself took to Twitter to tease the project with a particularly clever use of emojis, hinting that his next project would once more take on Disney's pantheon of iconic creatures.

His take on The Jungle Book proved to be something of a monumental success, becoming the fourth-highest-grossing film of the year so far with a staggering $965 million worldwide gross; meaning he'd be a natural fit for The Lion King's four-legged reimagining of Hamlet, though you have to wonder how a live-action film would work in a cinematic universe devoid a single human.

Favreau's The Lion King will follow in the tracks of other new Disney takes currently in the works; including the Emily Blunt-starring Mary Poppins Returns, the Emma Watson-fronted Beauty and the Beast, and Tim Burton's Dumbo.

No release date has been announced for the project.