No casting has been announced for the show, nor was it made clear how the all-animal cast will be portrayed on stage. The film used the voices of an array of Broadway talent, including Matthew Broderick, Nathan Lane and Whoopi Goldberg.
Composer Elton John and lyricist Tim Rice will write new material for the stage show, which already includes the Oscar-winning song "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" and the popular "Hakuna Matata." The score also [sic] Julie Taymor will direct the musical, which will be adapted to the stage by librettists Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi. Mecchi co-wrote the screenplay and Allers directed the animated film. The announcement was made Nov. 6, the same day Taymor's 'Juan Darien' began Broadway previews.
The story very roughly parallels Shakespeare's 'Hamlet', with a dash of his 'Henry IV'.