Credit: Disney+In 1994, music legend Sir Elton John cemented his place in Disney history when the company released its newest animated film — The Lion King. The movie tells the story of Simba, a young lion cub who flees the Pride Lands and his family when his uncle Scar accuses him of being the reason his father, Mufasa, is dead.
Simba is gone for years but returns when he learns that Scar has taken over the area, killed everything in the area, and left his pride on the verge of starvation.
Related: James Earl Jones, the Iconic Voice Behind Mufasa, Dead at 93
To create the memorable music for The Lion King, Disney enlisted Sir Elton John, Tim Rice, and Hans Zimmer. Together, Rice and John would make the music the most memorable part of the film.
When awards season rolled around, Rice, John, and Zimmer found themselves needing extra shelf space to accommodate all of their new hardware. The Lion King won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” and Best Original Score. “Hakuna Matata” and “Circle of Life” were also nominated for Best Original Song.
Related: Disney Officially Cancels Elton John
The “Crocodile Rock” singer returned to Disney multiple times over the years, helping write the music for The Lion King on Broadway, as well as the new song “Never Too Late” for the 2019 live-action remake. He also teamed up with the Mouse House for an epic concert from Dodger Stadium, which streamed exclusively on Disney+.
However, when Disney announced that it was creating a live-action Lion King prequel — Mufasa: The Lion King — it was revealed that Disney did not ask Mr. John to create the music. Instead, the studio decided to work with Lin Manuel Miranda, the man behind the Broadway sensation Hamilton, and who created all the music for the hit Disney film Encanto (2021).
In early September, Mr. John shocked fans when he revealed that he had been battling a severe eye infection that had left him nearly blind in one eye. He said that he is being treated by the best doctors, but it will still be months before vision returns to the impacted eye. He thanked his family and fans for their continued support.
However, according to a new report from RadarOnline.com, the music legend is much sicker than he is letting on. An inside source claims that Mr. John is so sick that he can barely walk, which is why fans have seen him using a golf cart to get around.
In a recent red-carpet appearance at the world premiere of his documentary, Elton John: Never Too Late, John stunned his fans by arriving in a custom purple golf cart. Insiders claim this move was to hide the Rocket Man singer’s reliance on a wheelchair.
The insider said: “Elton refuses to be seen as weak.
“He’s so determined to maintain his larger-than-life image — but the truth is he can hardly move without help!”
The insider continued: “He doesn’t know where he’s going half the time.
“That’s why the golf cart makes sense — it’s a way to hide the truth from the cameras.
“Elton’s focus now is all about cementing his legacy. He wants to control the narrative of his life as an artist, husband and father — before someone else does it for him!”
This is not the first time that Mr. John has battled severe health issues. For years, he fought a severe substance addiction, but thankfully, he has now been sober for more than 30 years. He also had a near-death experience when he was incorrectly diagnosed with a colon infection that was really appendicitis.
Then, in 2017, he nearly died after suffering major complications from surgery to help treat prostate cancer.
In 2023, Mr. John announced that, after more than five decades, he was finally retiring from touring. His “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” tour was originally supposed to end in 2021, but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When announcing his retirement, the singer said that he wanted to be there for his children and husband, David Furnish.
What is your favorite Elton John song? Do you think Disney should have brought him back for Mufasa: The Lion King? Let us know in the comments.