A very welcome surprise!
Over the weekend, Beyoncé announced her latest project— a visual album called “Black Is King” coming to Disney+.
The album, inspired by music from The Lion King: The Gift, is written, directed, and executive produced by Queen Bey herself. The visual album will pay tribute to the tribulations of Black families throughout time, depicting a young king’s journey of self-discovery as he reclaims his throne with the help of his ancestors and father’s teachings.
The project comes one year after Beyonce voiced Nala for Disney’s The Lion King.
The artist shared the news on her website with a one-minute trailer, which features Beyoncé, Jay-Z and their three children.
According to Variety, the film “reimagines lessons of The Lion King for today’s young kings and queens in search of their own crowns.” It is a “celebratory memoir” of the Black experience and “a story of how the people left most broken have an extraordinary gift and a purposeful future,” said Parkwood Entertainment in a press announcement. “‘Black Is King’ is an affirmation of a grand purpose, with lush visuals that celebrate Black resilience and culture. The film highlights the beauty of tradition and Black excellence.”
‘Black Is King’ will premiere globally on July 31st, 2020 exclusively at Disney+.