As he builds his cast for the new take on The Lion King he's directing, Jon Favreau has been largely finding new voices for the various characters. Recruited to play the distinctly flappable, high-strung royal advisor hornbill Zazu is John Oliver, according to The Wrap.
Once a regular contributor to The Daily Show, Oliver has more recently been winning acclaim for his HBO series Last Week Tonight With John Oliver. He's inheriting a role played in the 1994 original by Rowan Atkinson, albeit one that has since found life via Edward Hibbert, Michael Gough, and for his singing voice, Jeff Bennett.
James Earl Jones is so far the only member of the 1994 cast returning (he's back as Mufasa, because how do you replace that voice?), with Donald Glover playing Simba, Seth Rogen as Pumbaa and Billy Eichner as Timon.
Favreau is working on the film now, and the new Lion King will be in UK cinemas on 19 July 2019.
Donald Glover And James Earl Jones Recruited For Disney's New Lion King
Seth Rogen And Billy Eichner Will Be The New Lion King's Timon And Pumbaa