Yuba-sutter residents share their thoughts on the recent Lion King remake premier
Generations of locals came together to watch a new take on the classic film
Twenty-five years after the original Lion King premiered, the remake, featuring Beyoncé Knowles and Donald Glover, premiered last weekend. Many locals, especially millennials, took part in the action, helping to make the Lion King remake the biggest Disney movie opening of all time. It was a nostalgia thing. “I remember watching the original shortly after I moved to America. I’ve always loved Disney movies,” said Nai Saefong, a Yuba-sutter resident.
Saefong said her three-year-old daughter saw previews on television and wanted to see it. She said she knew if she took her, her daughter would love it too.
“I didn’t go opening weekend because I knew it would be crazy and packed. Everybody was there like a high school reunion,” Saefong said.
Saefong took her daughter to watch it, Wednesday, and said she enjoyed it. “It was really good,” she said. “I can’t believe it’s been so long since the original came out. It makes me feel hecka old to now be taking my daughter. It’s crazy.” J.D Smith, a Yuba-sutter resident, paid a visit to Cinemark Theatre in Yuba City with his wife and children, opening night, to watch what he said was his favorite childhood movie.
“I first saw it when I was like five,” Smith said. “It made me feel I wanted to take over something. I wanted to be a boss and run stuff like Simba.”
Smith said he was skeptical about the remake when he initially saw advertisements, but still wanted to go see it because of the hype.
“It was cool. My kids enjoyed it. It was bonding time with them, but some movies you just don’t mess with,” he said.
Despite some lukewarm reviews, according to hollywoodreporter.com, The Lion King broke many box office records and earned $546.6 milllion worldwide$198.8 in North America, opening weekend.
Whether the remake lives up to the original version may be debatable, but for community members interested in seeing it for themselves, Cinemark Theater in Yuba City will have 18 different showings everyday this weekend, according to their website.