Disney has released the official trailer for Black Is King, a visual album written, directed and executive produced by Beyoncé. The film is inspired by her album The Lion King: The Gift and will debut on Disney+ on July 31, 2020.
The trailer includes a voice over by Beyoncé who states, “You were formed by the heat of the galaxy. What a thing to be, both unique and familiar, to be one and the same, and still unlike any other.”
According to press describing the film, “The voyages of Black families, throughout time, are honored in a tale about a young king’s transcendent journey through betrayal, love and self-identity. His ancestors help guide him toward his destiny, and with his father’s teachings and guidance from his childhood love, he earns the virtues needed to reclaim his home and throne.”
Black Is King will launch two weeks following the one-year anniversary of the release of the remake of The Lion King, an animated film in which Beyoncé provided the voice for Nala.
Black Is King will include appearances by Jay-Z, Kelly Rowland, Pharrell Williams, Tina Knowles-Lawson, Lupita Nyong’o, Naomi Campbell and models Aweng Ade-Chuol and Adut Akech, as well as music creatives featured on The Lion King: The Gift album.
In addition to Disney+, the film will also be distributed in multiple African countries, including Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Congo, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, Togo, Zimbabwe and more.
