Music legend Elton John has termed Disney's The Lion King remake as a "huge disappointment". John, who had written and performed many songs for the 1994 animated original, said the makers of the live-action remake "messed up" the film's music.
"The new version of The Lion King was a huge disappointment to me, because I believe they messed the music up.
"Music was so much a part of the original and the music in the current film didn't have the same impact," John told GQ UK in an interview. He deplored the makers for losing out the key elements of "magic and joy" from the music.
"The soundtrack hasn't had nearly the same impact in the charts that it had 25 years ago, when it was the bestselling album of the year. The new soundtrack fell out of the charts so quickly, despite the massive box-office success. "I wish I'd been invited to the party more, but the creative vision for the film and its music was different this time around," the veteran said.
He said he "wasn't really welcomed or treated with the same level of respect" by the makers as he was the last time around. "That makes me extremely sad. I'm so happy that the right spirit for the music lives on with the 'Lion King' stage musical," John added.
Directed by Jon Favreau, The Lion King released in July this year to mixed reviews. The film featured songs performed by Pharrell Williams, Beyonce and Donald Glover.
