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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Friday’s openings: Disney remakes a classic

Dan Webster

It wasn't enough for Disney to retell classic stories in animated form. They had to go and remake those retellings in live-action format.

The version of "Aladdin" starring Mena Massoud, Naomi Scott and a CGI-enhanced Will Smith as the Genie, which was released in May, is based on the 1992 animated version. And on Friday, a whole new version of another popular animated Disney film — this one released in 1994 — is scheduled to open:

"The Lion King": Jon Favreau directed and everyone from Donald Glover to Alfre Woodard, John Oliver to Beyonce add their voices to the classic story of a young lion cub who, having lost his father, must find a way to achieve his own path to greatness.

The Disney film is the only mainstream opening listed on the national movie-release schedule. As always, I'll update when the area theaters finalize their bookings.