- Warning: There are spoilers ahead for “The Lion King.”
- The attention to detail is incredible in the new “Lion King” movie.
- From the opening of the movie to a memorable scene in “Hakuna Matata,” INSIDER rounds up some shot-for-shot recreations from the 1994 animated movie.
- Visit INSIDER’s homepage for more stories.
Disney’s “The Lion King” remake is extremely faithful to the 1994 classic.
So it’s little surprise that some shots feel like a shot-for-shot remake of the original. From the film’s grand opening of “The Circle of Life” to the final shots of the movie, INSIDER rounded up some of the big moments that were brought to life in Disney’s new film that will make you feel like a kid again.
The entire “Circle of Life” opening feels like a shot-for-shot recreation of the original movie done in HD.
The scene first wowed at the D23 Expo when it was shown to fans in 2017.
The song opens with the sunrise before cutting to a rhino, cheetah, and several other animals.
Even though you may have grown up with the “Lion King,” you may not have seen it in theaters. If it’s your first time seeing the opening sequence recreated on the big screen, it may make you a bit emotional.
Here's one more shot from the opening because, wow.
It's pretty impressive to see recreated. You can see a larger breakdown of the "Circle of Life" opening here.
Baby Simba also gets smeared with red across his forehead before being unveiled to the world.
Baby Simba may be cuter than the 1994 cub, but he shows a little less emotion than his '94 counterpart.
Read more: Here's the cast of Disney's 'The Lion King' remake and who they're playing
When Simba receives a lecture from his father on the land he'll rule one day, there are multiple moments that are straight out of the original.
Some of the camera angles are slightly different in the new film.
You may have gotten chills knowing that Mufasa was about to tell Simba that he was disappointed in him.
As Mufasa is getting ready to reprimand his son, a familiar scene is recreated with the setting sun.
Simba's paw sinking into Mufasa's is shown from a different angle in the remake.
The meaning of the scene is still the same.
This scene between Scar and Simba before the wildebeest come is very close to the original, but it's not exactly the same.
Director Jon Favreau said he didn't want to make a shot-for-shot recreation of the original, but he wanted it to feel enough like the original so scenes were instantaneously identifiable.
"We wanted to capture what people's memory of this is with both the music and the imagery," said Favreau in a behind-the-scenes featurette for the film. "I think when you can capture the spirit, but show them something new and surprising, that's sort of the best combo."
Read more: Stop calling Disney's 'Lion King' remake a live-action movie - it's anything but
Many of the similar shots in the movie occur during the big stampede scene.
As soon as the Hans Zimmer music cues up, you know what's coming.
Just hearing the score may take you back to when you first saw Simba running in the gorge.
Some of the ways Simba moves in the new movie look like original animation drawn for the film.
Scar makes sure his plan goes off without a hitch from above.
Scar isn't skulking with a giant shadow behind him, but he's still plotting the death of his brother from above. He looks a bit creepier in the animated movie lurking in a dark spot.
Read more: 45 of the biggest differences between the 'Lion King' remake and the animated movie
Seeing Scar tell Simba to "run away and never return" took us back.
Though your focus may be on Scar, look at little Simba quivering in fear in the first image.
The third image with Simba doesn't sell how broken up the young cub is over his father's death as well as Jonathan Taylor Thomas did in the original.
One of the stand-out shots in the trailers for the remake was Scar telling the hyenas to kill Simba.
Unlike in the original, one of the hyenas is to Scar's right.
The most impressive scene to see recreated is when Simba ages during the song "Hakuna Matata."
Simba goes from a young cub, to a teen, to a full-grown lion in a few seconds as Timon and Pumbaa lead him across a log.
As "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?" starts up, Simba and Nala run playfully near a waterfall once again before taking a quick drink.
The new movie recreates the scene of them singing about their own fears.
Timon and Pumbaa join Nala and Simba to win back the Pride Lands in a familiar-looking scene.
In the original film, the group gather in more of a superhero stance, ready for battle. The remake shows them cautiously hiding so they're not seen by anyone. That's probably smarter.
Unlike the original film, Zazu is with them here.
When Simba finally takes his place as king, it's very similar to the original movie.
A few of the camera angles are different, but if you've seen the original movie many times over then you'll be able to notice the tiny differences.
It doesn't get more perfect than this shot of Simba and Nala at the film's end.
The moment occurs right before Rafiki brings out their daughter, Kiara, to show off to the animals of the Pride Lands. The moment mirrors the opening of the film.
