Scar Lion King 1994
Scar, as voiced by Jeremy Irons, in 1994's The Lion King. Disney

Jon Favreau has assembled quite a cast for Disney's Lion King remake, but it's only now that we know who may be playing treacherous villain Scar in the latest high-profile reimagining from the House of Mouse.

British Oscar-nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor is in talks to take on the role first made famous by Jeremy Irons in Disney's 1994 classic, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Should he sign up, he'd be joining a cast that includes Donald Glover as hero Simba and James Earl Jones, reprising his role as Mufasa from the 90s animated hit.

Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen will play Timon and Pumba, while Last Week Tonight comedian John Oliver will play Zazu.

It's not yet known who will play lioness Nala but reports have suggested that Favreau is after Beyonce for the role.

In the classic, Shakespearean tale, Scar betrays Mufasa to become king of the animal kingdom, casting a young Simba out. The young lion prince then walks the jungles and deserts beyond the kingdom until his eventual return.

Chiwetel Ejiofor, best known for his roles in 12 Years a Slave, The Martian and Doctor Strange, strikes as a perfect fit for the role. Just last month, around Disney's D23 fan-convention, Hugh Jackman was linked to the role until the rumours were quickly debunked.

Favreau got the gig after his critical and commercial success in reimagining The Jungle Book, which blended incredible CGI and motion-capture performances with a lone human star, Neel Sethi as Mowgli.

That film also had an impressive cast, with Lupita Nyong'o as Raksha, Idris Elba as Shere Khan, Christopher Walken as King Louie, Ben Kingsley as Bagheera and Bill Murray as Baloo.

The Lion King won't feature any humans - unless its plot deviates wildly from the original - meaning it will be an entirely computer-generated film, only one with the same near-photo-real imagery.

The film is the latest effort from Disney to remake and reimagine its back-catalogue of animated hits, following on from Jungle Book, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland and, earlier this year, Beauty and the Beast.

Remakes of Mulan, Dumbo and Aladdin, as well as a sequel to Mary Poppins, are currently in the works.

Jon Favreau's Lion King is set to release on 19 July, 2019.

Disney