Disney's The Lion King Remake: Casting All 10 Major Roles

4. Young Simba (Ty Simpkins)

Ty Simkins Jurassic World
Universal Pictures

15-year old Ty Simpkins has made quite a name for himself in the blockbuster space recently, going on to star in two of the most financially successful movies of all time in Iron Man 3 and Jurassic World.

This experience will work in his favour when it comes to The Lion King; Disney will want someone competent, given that Young Simba is the character we're meant to connect with most during The Lion King's first act. Simpkins has proven he's able to cope with the pressures of appearing in a major studio tentpole, and what's more, his young age and youthful voice make him a solid pick for playing Simba as a cub.

There aren't many child actors that could hold their own against Robert Downey Jr or Chris Pratt, but this kid managed to do it with apparent ease. He also managed to come across as genuinely terrified opposite a CGI dinosaur in Jurassic World, showing that he can still act even when there's nothing to act against. Simba needs that juvenile voice to make the audience feel even more sympathy toward him when Mufasa dies, and Simpkins is one of few capable child actors who could provide just that.

Chances Of It Happening

Disney won't want to risk fluffing such an important role on a scale of this size, and when you think 'child actors,' you think Ty Simpkins. Plus, Jon Favreau produced Iron Man 3, so the two have worked together before. Simpkins is a solid bet!

Contributor
Contributor

Danny has been with WhatCulture for over ten years, and is currently Doctor Who Editor and WhoCulture Channel Manager, overseeing all of WhatCulture's Whoniverse coverage. In 2022, he took charge of WhoCulture and has grown it into the biggest Doctor Who channel on YouTube, and one of the biggest Doctor Who communities on the web full-stop. He has been writing and video editing since his early teens, and first got a taste for content creation after making his own Doctor Who trailers, off the back of a burning obsession with the Matt Smith era of the show. Like many his age, he first got into Doctor Who with the 2005 revival, but has since gone back and fallen in love with the classic years too. If you need someone to recite every Doctor Who episode in order, or to give you a random factoid about the making of Gridlock, Danny is the person to ask!