Every Live-Action Disney Movie Remake Ranked Worst To Best

Expectations were certainly high for 2019's The Lion King, given director Jon Favreau's prior success translating The Jungle Book into "live-action."

Though The Lion King is absolutely pretty enough, touts solid voice acting, and leaves the classic story mostly untouched, it's ultimately far less than the sum of its parts.

The decision to adapt the expressive and not-remotely-realistic original animation into a considerably more grounded piece of visual storytelling - one that basically resembles a National Geographic doc - robs The Lion King of much of its style and personality.

There's a fundamental disconnect between the ultra-realistic animal renders and their humanoid manner of speaking, ensuring Simba (Donald Glover) and company end up tumbling straight into the uncanny valley.

You know what nobody needed from The Lion King? Realism. Given that it grossed over $1.6 billion worldwide, though, Disney probably wasn't fussed about the resoundingly mediocre reviews.