I recently read an article that discussed the new Lion King live action remake. The article touches on topics of gender and masculinity and how they are represented in both the new and original films. Gender has been an issue in both the Lion King movies because the storyline completely centers around male lives. Although the live action remake was kept quite similar to the original, in terms of plot, songs, and script, they did have a slight improvement in how masculinity is perceived. Mufasa is shown teaching Simba that he should “[look] for what he can give,” not for what he can take, and that it is okay for kings to be afraid. Scar is a foil to Mufasa in that Scar represents toxic masculinity with his thirst for power and domination. Although the movie does feature some strong female characters, played by Beyonce, Alfre Woodard, and Florence Kasumba, they are not asked to step in for the throne. This sends a message to children watching that women are not considered for leadership roles. It is also a little strange since in real lion tribes, they are run by a matriarchy.
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