BLACK IS KING BY BEYONCÉ DEBUTS ON DISNEY+

Black is King, the new film by Beyoncé based on the soundtrack of “The Lion King: The Gift”, debuts on July 31st in exclusive for Disney+.

The film, that Beyoncé personally curated in every detail, reinterprets the original themes of the “The Lion King: The Gift”, released a year ago, to accompany all the kings and queens throughout their journey in search for their crown. The production took a year to complete, the story echoes The Lion King: a young prince embarks on a long journey before returning to claim his throne after he gets into some trouble. The themes touch inner strength and the meaning of “kingship”. His ancestors guide him towards his destiny, as well as the knowledge given by his father that gains him the chance to come back home and claim the throne. James Earl Jones’s spoken interludes from The Lion King narrates the story and gives breathtaking imagery.

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I typically keep comments short and sweet, but I just watched the trailer with my family and I’m excited. ?please don’t get me hype?? “Black Is King” is a labor of love. It is my passion project that I have been filming, researching and editing day and night for the past year. I’ve given it my all and now it’s yours. It was originally filmed as a companion piece to “The Lion King: The Gift” soundtrack and meant to celebrate the breadth and beauty of Black ancestry. I could never have imagined that a year later, all the hard work that went into this production would serve a greater purpose. The events of 2020 have made the film’s vision and message even more relevant, as people across the world embark on a historic journey. We are all in search of safety and light. Many of us want change. I believe that when Black people tell our own stories, we can shift the axis of the world and tell our REAL history of generational wealth and richness of soul that are not told in our history books. With this visual album, I wanted to present elements of Black history and African tradition, with a modern twist and a universal message, and what it truly means to find your self-identity and build a legacy. I spent a lot of time exploring and absorbing the lessons of past generations and the rich history of different African customs. While working on this film, there were moments where I’ve felt overwhelmed, like many others on my creative team, but it was important to create a film that instills pride and knowledge. I only hope that from watching, you leave feeling inspired to continue building a legacy that impacts the world in an immeasurable way. I pray that everyone sees the beauty and resilience of our people. This is a story of how the people left MOST BROKEN have EXTRAORDINARY gifts.❤️✊? Thank you to Blitz, Emmanuel, Ibra, Jenn, Pierre, Dikayl, Kwasi and all the brilliant creatives. Thank you to all at Disney for giving this Black woman the opportunity to tell this story. This experience has been an affirmation of a grander purpose. My only goal is that you watch it with your family and that it gives you pride. Love y’all, B

A post shared by Beyoncé (@beyonce) on Jun 28, 2020 at 8:06pm PDT

The film was shot in different locations, from New York and Los Angeles to South Africa and London. The cinematography highlight the beauty of the people and the scenery, and the film features some very special guests like Aweng Ade-Chuol, Adut Akech, Naomi Campbell, Tina Knowles-Lawson, Lupita Nyong’o, Kelly Rowland, Pharrell Williams, JAY-Z and more. Black Is King was written, directed and produced by Beyoncé, that in the opening scene wears a total look Burberry, designed by total look Burberry. 

Check out the first official video for the song Already.