The upcoming remake of Disney’s The Lion King did not disappoint with its star-studded cast. Featuring Beyonce, Donald Glover, and Seth Rogen, the new generation voice actors took the place of Moira Kelly, Matthew Broderick, and Ernie Sabella from the original animated classic. However, only one actor from the 1994 Lion King film is reprising his role.

Jon Favreau decided that James Earl Jones, the voice of Mufasa, should reprise his role in the CGI live-action remake. Why? In an interview with Empire the director said:

“I see it as carrying the legacy across. Just hearing him say the lines is really moving and surreal.”

Indeed so, retaining one of the most prominent voices in the film is a well-deserved homage to the legacy of The Lion King. The 1994 Disney classic is one of the studio’s most iconic movies to date, animated or otherwise. Remaking the film for a new generation itself is a continuation of the legacy on its own. But, Jon Favreau wanted to make a grander gesture by bringing back James Earl Jones.

After all, it would be impossible to find someone who can take the place of James Earl Jones. Whoever planned to have enormous shoes to fill and will probably fail at doing so, maybe? Some would go as far as to claim that even Morgan Freeman won’t be able to do Mufasa justice. Simply put, Jones’ powerful voice is too recognizable and compelling for someone else to take his iconic role. Favreau went on to add:

“The timbre of his voice has changed. That served the role well because he sounds like a king who’s ruled for a long time.”

The Lion King premieres on the 17th of July in Norway followed by debuts in international cinemas.