In film, nothing is sacred.
That isn't necessarily a bad thing. As live-action film is increasingly marked by sequels, revamps, and reboots, it seems fitting for animation to have a shot at revisiting old favorites as well. Enter Disney's The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar, which has a release date and its first official teaser trailer.
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The Lion Guard technically takes place between the first and second halves of The Lion King Part II, which told the story of Simba and Nala's daughter. The new film centers around their son, Kion, whose destiny is not immediately to rule the Pride Lands, but to lead The Lion Guard, a group of the most skillful and courageous animals in the kingdom.
At first sight, Kion's entourage looks a lot like his father's, but it is comprised of entirely different and somewhat more obscure animals: a hippopotamus, a honey badger, a cheetah, and an egret. The film will introduce the Lion Guard, while the subsequent series will detail their adventures as protectors of the Pride Lands.
The film stars Max Charles as Kion, with Rob Lowe and Gabrielle Union playing Simba and Nala. The rest of the guard is rounded out by Atticus Shaffer, Diamond White, and Dusan Brown. Most notably, Ernie Sabella will return as Pumbaa, as will James Earl Jones as Mufasa -- who may or may not be a hallucination or a voice in the stars, but hey, we'll take it.
It's been over 10 years since The Lion King 1 ½, the last major installment in the Lion King series, which was generally well-received. Whatever is in store for Kion and his friends, there's no denying that it feels good to see that Saharan sunrise again.
The Lion Guard premieres Nov. 22 at 7 p.m. on Disney Channel.