UPDATED: Andrew Lloyd Webber Says 'Big Cats Shouldn't Be Copycats'; Disney Responds

In response to today's announcement touting The Lion King's new 360 degree video, Andrew Lloyd Webber, who released a fully immersive 360 degree music video last month for "You're in the Band," a musical number from Broadway's SCHOOL OF ROCK - THE MUSICAL, had a few words for the Disney musical's feline company.

"Just as there is no debate about who were the first anthropomorphized felines on Broadway, there should be no debate about which show was the first to use 360 degree technology," Lloyd Webber said in a statement. "Big cats shouldn't be copycats!"

In announcing the 360 degree video, THE LION KING wrote: "The Lion King recently filmed its iconic opening number 'Circle of Life' using virtual reality technology, marking the first time the technology has been used inside a Broadway theatre. The 360° footage has been compiled to create the first-ever virtual reality experience of a theatrical production number captured exactly as it is seen onstage."

UPDATE: Disney Theatrical Productions President Thomas Schumacher responeded: "I am incredibly proud of our Lion King VR video and stand by our description of it. We say plainly "The‎ Lion King utilizes virtual reality technology for the first time ever in a Broadway theatre... the first theatrical production number exactly as it is seen onstage. The Lion King filmed 'The Circle of the Life' on the Minskoff Theatre stage, using full puppets, scenic and lighting elements for an audience of 1000 and captured the number exactly as it's seen onstage. School Of Rock staged your number for the camera, in a classroom and captured a delightful commercial. We congratulate you on your million hits but these are two videos are fundamentally divergent."

Lloyd Webber's "You're in the Band" video was released on Wednesday, October 14, 2015. Shot in a real NYC classroom, this innovative 360° video produced for the Broadway production was one of the first of its kind on YouTube or Facebook. The video was designed by Andrew Lloyd Webber and SCHOOL OF ROCK book writer Julian Fellowes to take full advantage of new 360 degree technology and allows you to navigate all angles of the classroom for an exciting and immersive experience of the song. The 360 degree video accompanied a new single of "You're in the Band" produced by Lloyd Webber and legendary music producer, Rob Cavallo, to be released by Warner Bros. Records. Watch it below!

Let's hope Lloyd Webber's comment was in the spirit of friendly competition.

You can view THE LION KING's "Circle of Life" video after it debuts tomorrow morning at 6:30AM EST on Wired.com. In the meantime, watch a sneak peek here!

Photo Credit: Walter McBride