Pumbaa's Horrifying New Look In Live-Action "The Lion King" Is Dividing the Internet

Pumbaa was always going to be hard to pull off in a live-action remake of The Lion King.

We are less than two months out from the release of Disney's next live-action remake, The Lion King, but the recently dropped promotional posters have stirred some controversy.

Among the posters of the animal cast was one that really stood out: Pumbaa. That's because, unlike the other animals, his front-on portrait seemed like something lifted out from a horror movie.

we were talking about how scary pumbaa looks in the new lion king so i uh. turned his poster into a horror movie poster pic.twitter.com/fLnDzcJKr5

— Sof 🏹 (@LobsterScoundrl) May 30, 2019

Interestingly, Pumbaa (voiced by Seth Rogen) and his trusty sidekick, Timon (Billy Eichner), did appear in the trailer, but given all the other epic moments, they were almost an afterthought.

While his Saw-esque appearance may have been forgiven in the trailer, the official posters are starting to make people reflect on how Seth Rogen and the CGI team will make Pumbaa less killer pig and more like the fan-fave animated character we know and love.

seth rogen is
PUMBAA pic.twitter.com/5JMaZvjOPd

— pedor (@pedraum_quejero) May 30, 2019

Pumbaa looks like he walked in from the set of The Witch. pic.twitter.com/MvxFIucl2A

— Scott Stamper (@DerfelMacGuffin) May 30, 2019

yo this movie is gonna be a nightmare and i'm here for it

— LeahBlizz (@leahblizz) May 30, 2019

bro just wondering why pumbaa looks like he’s ready to kill me behind a chillis

— al (@blankwaste) May 30, 2019

Part of the reason for Pumbaa's look, of course, is that warthogs just aren't the cutest animals in the kingdom. I'm no zoologist but I know a freaky animal when I see one. They have weird horns coming of their mouth, wiry hair and just a general vibe of fiercedom surrounding them.

Some tweeters pointed out that live-action remakes are supposed to be realistic and that making Pumbaa cute for young audiences would've been criticised just as much.

What the hell yall thought Pumbaa was suppose to look like? Piglet? pic.twitter.com/c7HKcC4OiZ

— DKT (@darleneturner53) May 30, 2019

did y’all really expect pumbaa to not look like a warthog...? pic.twitter.com/8i9erNNAjm

— 🌨 (@sotaylorwaslike) May 30, 2019

Prepare yourself for a fright when The Lion King comes to cinemas on 18 July.

Header Image: Walt Disney Studios