We knew it was coming. The moment when we’d finally hear Beyoncé and Donald Glover belt out the famed Lion King tunes as Simba and Nala. Yet, somehow it’s even more breathtaking than we could have imagined it to be. Queen Bey and Glover’s Childish Gambino have 28 Grammys and 10 best-selling albums between them.
Two of the biggest names in music today have teamed up to bring a beautiful new rendition of “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” Be prepared for your ears to thank you in the new Lion King clip below:
Oh, we can feel it! The combination between Beyoncé and Donald Glover’s vocals makes for a heavenly new version of the song that blows the original right out of the water and over the moon. It’s much more stripped down then the song in the 1994 classic, and this one features Beyoncé’s famous runs. If we weren’t already excited for what’s to come in Disney’s “live-action” remake, this will do it!
Besides a sneak peek of “Can You Feel The Love Tonight”, the new 30-second TV spot features a lot of the same footage that’s been previously revealed. There is, however, a brief new image of Simba and Nala sharing a cuddle on a ledge, likely part of the scene where the two rekindle their friendship and newfound attraction for one another now that they’re adult lions.
One has to wonder if director Jon Favreau will opt for the same choices made in the original, which starts with an introduction by Timon, before a voiceover of the rest of the song plays, allowing Simba and Nala the freedom to jump around and flash heart eyes at one another. You can journey back to the original scene below:
Beyoncé’s rendition of the song is certainly a good indication of what we’ve predicted all along: she’s going to steal the show. Is it too late to change the title to The Lion Queen? In the original movie, Nala is a key character but she doesn’t get a ton of time to sing. With Beyoncé’s addition to The Lion King, I’d guess Nala will be given a bigger role in the film.
Beyoncé’s Nala may be getting a song of her own, “Shadowland” from the film’s Broadway run. Elton John also teased there will be a new song for the end credits, along with his ideas to “cook up something” for her as well. John wrote the original Lion King songs with Tim Rice and has been involved in updating the remake, just as Alan Menken has with the new Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin.
The Lion King debuts in theaters on July 19.
