Elton John's 'Blindsided' and 'Hurt' by Disney Snubbing Him From 'The Lion King' Prequel
John said he only had 'limited vision' in the infected eye.
May 19 2024, Published 5:30 a.m. ET
Music maestro Elton John, 77, is reportedly singing a sour note after being snubbed by Disney and cut out of the upcoming prequel to The Lion King, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Despite delivering classic hits for the 1994 animated film, the Rocket Man was not included in the upcoming prequel, Mufasa: The Lion King.
John will not be included in Disney's upcoming 'Mufasa: The Lion King."
"After gifting the studio with such timeless classics as Can You Feel the Love Tonight and Circle of Life, Elton has been blindsided by this egregious snub," an insider dished to the National Enquirer.
"To have his legacy disregarded in such a manner is a bitter pill to swallow. He feels hurt and disillusioned by Disney's actions!"
Elton John has been partially blinded by a 'severe eye infection', the 77-year-old musician revealed.
The upcoming musical adaptation — which is expected to hit theaters in December 2024 — is being directed by Barry Jenkins. The film will feature photorealistic animations of the beloved children's movie characters.
While John was left out of the prequel, music from Grammy-winning composer Hans Zimmer, as well as Pharrell Williams, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Nicholas Brittell and Mark Mancina is expected to be featured.
Details on why John was not included in the prequel adaptation remain unclear at this time. Adding mystery to the studio's shocking decision is that John appeared to be in good graces with Disney in 2023.
In November, the singer-composer brought Disney+ its first-ever livestream performance, Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium. John also served as an executive producer for the production.
The retired music legend has had several health scares in recent years.
The lavish production, which was streamed globally, earned three nominations at the 2024 Emmy Awards — and took home hardware in all three categories, including Outstanding Variety Special (Live), Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special and Technical Direction, Camerawork and Video Control for a Special.
John's work on 1994's The Lion King also resulted in three Academy Awards nominations for Hakuna Matata, Circle of Life and Can You Feel the Love Tonight, the latter resulting in a win.
Despite John's recent efforts bringing several accolades to the streaming platform, which helped elevate the service at a time when the streaming market is saturated with options, the studio oddly chose to not bring him on board for Mufasa.
A possible explanation could be John's producer husband, David Furnish, wanting the singer to pivot and support his film production career now that the singer's farewell tour has concluded.
While John's inability to hold it in may not have any deeper significance, fans are concerned about what it could mean for the aging music legend's health.
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
As RadarOnline.com reported, insiders claimed John's "ego-driven needs" have become too much for Furnish to bear after supporting his husband for three decades.
"David had enough of Elton's diva behavior and is demanding he put a sock in it," an insider claimed. "Elton might be able to get away with nonsense when he's on tour surrounded by a legion of roadies and gofers, but he's now going to have to adjust to a different style of life."
The source noted Furnish wants to "throw himself into his film production career — and he's demanding Elton's support."
