Improved music and storyline

Rating: 8/10 (25 July 2019)

My thoughts on the 2019 version of the Lion King:
The music has even more depth to it and the songs really deliver in this iteration. Except for maybe the 'spirit' song and the version of Can You feel the Love Tonight (must be Beoncé).
About the plot, I was really pleased with getting a little bit more background on Scar and Sarabi. Having Shenzi as an additional antagonist added a sense of tension and darkness which made the movie even more compelling.
Arguably the best scene was the Lion Sleeps Tonight-beatbox-scene. Together with the giant nod to Beauty and the Beast, Rafiki's stick, and the added lines in Hakuna Matata, these really added a sense of humor that surpasses the original.
And last but not least, the visuals. Breathtaking. I really liked the added nature and insect shots. These shots make me want to watch this instead of the original.
The only downsides for me were the Beoncé songs and the fact that the photorealistic animals showed more subtle emotion. But that doesn't take away from the fact that this is a solid iteration and in some aspects even more likable than the original.