Entertainment

Beyonce's 'The Lion King' Debut Is FINALLY Here, & Yes, She's Already Giving Out Regal Advice

by Savannah Walsh

Queen Bey has officially joined a whole new royal ensemble. Your first look at Beyoncé in The Lion King is here, and it's making fans more and more excited for the upcoming live-action remake. (If that was even possible?) A clip of the Lemonade artist's turn as Nala was released via Beyoncé's official YouTube channel on Monday, June 3. And yes, Bey as Nala is every bit as regal as you hoped she would be.

This sneak peek is the first tease the world has gotten of Beyoncé's performance. An official trailer for the hotly-anticipated movie, which hits theaters on July 19, came out back in April. But what it boasted in stunning visuals and life-like animals, it lacked in the Beyoncé department.

But this new 30-second clip showcases Beyoncé's voice acting as she can be heard saying, "Simba, you have to take your place as king. We need you, come home." (Can we just say that anything coming from the voice of Beyoncé instantly sounds powerful and majestic?) Plus, there's new visual footage of Beyoncé as Nala, with each CGI effect looking more impressive than the next. At the end of the clip, viewers can also hear Seth Rogen and Billy Eichner as Pumbaa and Timon, respectively. This is one of the first times these characters are being heard as well.

Directed by Jon Favreau, the live-action version of The Lion King will feature an all-star cast that includes Donald Glover as Simba, James Earl Jones as Mufasa, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Scar, and John Oliver as Zazu, in addition to Queen Bey as Nala. Since the full Lion King casting news was announced, Beyoncé included, in November 2017, everyone wants to hear any Bey-related anecdote from the cast and crew. Since no one had heard the "Drunk in Love" singer's Lion King performance, the world had to go off of quotes from those involved with the movie until now.

On March 27, for instance, Eichner revealed on an episode of the Keep It podcast that he cried after hearing Beyoncé sing in The Lion King. When asked what the musical star's acting was like, given the lack of Beyoncé in the trailers, Eichner responded: "She's definitely in the movie because I've seen a rough cut. And I've heard her sing 'Can You Feel the Love Tonight?' with Donald Glover and I'm telling you, it's f*cking good."

Favreau revealed more about Beyoncé's role in The Lion King, for an April Entertainment Weekly cover story. The filmmaker said the Grammy winner is actually more "normal" in real-life than you would expect from such a musical goddess. "Although her persona onstage is bigger than life," he said, "she's very down to earth and is very much dedicated to having a life that is human-scale." However, even Favreau couldn't deny the power of her vocal talent in the movie. "My God," he said to EW, "she really lives up to her reputation as far as the beauty of her voice and talent."

So, basically we've learned that Beyonce will SLAY in The Lion King, and we need this rendition of "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" ASAP.