TO CLOSE

Beyonce, Donald Glover, Michelle Williams, Kelly Rowland, Tiffany Haddish and more shine in the metallized and printed films at the world premiere of "The Lion King" in Los Angeles. (July 10)
AP

You can stop worrying.

James Earl Jones, who returns to the screen on July 19 while Mufasa's voice in "The Lion King" reinvented by Disney is doing well, although it is missing recent promotional releases.

Fans began to worry when they noticed that the 88-year-old star, who had for the first time portrayed the animated film King Mufasa in the animated movie "King of the King" in 1994, did not appear in any of the promotional film series of the remake. He also did not attend the world premiere of "The Lion King" in Los Angeles, where cast members, including Beyoncé, Donald Glover and Seth Rogen, walked the red carpet.

"It was incredibly nice to participate in that, I do not know what I would have done if he had not done it," Favreau told TODAY USA on Wednesday.

In the new "Lion King", James Earl Jones takes over the role of Simba 's father, Mufasa, whom he had previously expressed in the 1994 film animation. (Photo: RICK RYCROFT / AP)

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"It's based on the East Coast – it's something that takes you a lot to do," noted the director, referring to the premiere of this week and the following interview days. "So his involvement was more focused on his performance."

In fact, the director thinks it is the announcement of the return of Jones to Mufasa (with the signature of Glover as his little Simba) that has earned "The Lion King" early legitimacy. "Everyone was so concerned about" What is this new Lion King going to be? "This casting announcement helped."

And recording on the set, recording with him was "a bit surreal," Favreau had already told USA TODAY. "All you can say is," Oh, my God, I can not believe I hear you reading these lines. "It strikes you so much – it's beyond appreciating a performance – it's tapping into something that's inside you."

Contributor: Brian Truitt

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