With Disney’s The Lion King opening in theaters this weekend, I recently sat down with director Jon Favreau for an exclusive interview. During the brief but informative interview, he talked about the incredible new film technology used on both The Lion King and The Mandalorian, why he’s so happy to work at Disney Studios, and how he wrote four episodes of The Mandalorian before he was actually hired to make it. He also gave an update on The Mandalorian season 2.

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Image via Disney

The Lion King features the voices of Donald Glover (Simba), Beyoncé (Nala), Alfre Woodard (Sarabi), Chiwetel Ejiofor (Scar), Billy Eichner (Timon), Seth Rogen (Pumbaa), John Oliver (Zazu), Keegan Michael-Key (Kamari),  Florence Kasumba (Shenzi), and Eric André (Azizi), Shahadi Wright Joseph (Young Nala), and JD McCrary (Young Simba).

Check out what Jon Favreau had to say in the player above and below is exactly what we talked about followed by the official synopsis.

Jon Favreau

  • What is it like to get paid to direct The Lion King and Star Wars (The Mandalorian)?
  • How happy he is working at Disney.
  • How he was working on The Mandalorian season 2 before he came to the junket that day.
  • the-lion-king-zazu-young-simba
    Image via Disney
    The incredible new technology used on both The Lion King and The Mandalorian.

Here’s the official synopsis for The Lion King:

Disney’s “The Lion King, directed by Jon Favreau (“The Jungle Book”), journeys to the African savanna where a future king is born. Simba idolizes his father, King Mufasa, and takes to heart his own royal destiny. But not everyone in the kingdom celebrates the new cub’s arrival. Scar, Mufasa’s brother—and former heir to the throne—has plans of his own. The battle for Pride Rock is ravaged with betrayal, tragedy and drama, ultimately resulting in Simba’s exile. With help from a curious pair of newfound friends, Simba will have to figure out how to grow up and take back what is rightfully his.

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Image via Disney
the-mandalorian
Image via Disney