It's not the in-character first look we were hoping for, but a new photo of Donald Glover on the set of the upcoming live-action remake of Disney's "The Lion King" still has us plenty eager for the flick's arrival.

The image, shared by director Jon Favreau on Twitter this week, features the actor and Favreau all smiles, presumably marking the first official day of filming (or one of the first, at least). And the excitement is certainly palpable.

"Simba returns!" the director captioned the simple snap.

We're still more than 18 months away from the film's July 2019 release date, and a lot of work needs to be completed before then (and before we have any finished footage of Glover-as-Simba). But based on what was shown at this summer's D23 Expo, it sounds like the film will truly be a jaw-dropping experience, and we're excited to see how the multi-talented Glover fits into the equation.

Another reason to be optimistic about this project is the return of Favreau to the director's chair. He previously helmed the remake of another animal-centric Disney flick, "The Jungle Book," and its success signals that audiences should be equally enthralled by "The Lion King." We can't wait to see more.

"The Lion King" roars into theaters on July 19, 2019.

[via: Jon Favreau/Twitter]