The Lion King(franchise)

(Redirected fromPride Rock)

The Lion Kingis aDisneymedia franchisecomprising afilm seriesand additional media. The success of animated original 1994Americanfeature film,The Lion King,directed byRoger AllersandRob Minkoff,led to a direct-to-video sequel and prequel,a live-action remake in 2019,a television film sequel, two spin-off television series, three educational shorts, several video games, merchandise, and thethird-longest-running musical in Broadway history,which garnered sixTony AwardsincludingBest Musical.[1]The franchise is one of thehighest-grossing media franchises of all time.The franchise as a whole hasEGOT-ed, meaning it has won the four biggest awards of American show business.

The Lion King
Created by
Original workThe Lion King(1994)
OwnerThe Walt Disney Company
Years1994–present
Based onWorksofWilliam Shakespeare
Print publications
Book(s)The Lion King: Six New Adventures
Novel(s)adaptation
Films and television
Film(s)
Short film(s)
Animated series
Television film(s)The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar(2015)
Theatrical presentations
Play(s)The Legend of the Lion King(1994)
Musical(s)
Games
Video game(s)
Audio
Soundtrack(s)
Original music
Miscellaneous
Toy(s)Disney Tsum Tsum*
Theme park attraction(s)
*Work where this franchise's characters or settings appeared as part of acrossover,or has characters based on those from this franchise.

**The Lion King 1½was also released theatrically in some countries and selected American cities.

The franchise mainly revolves about a pride oflionswho oversee a large swath ofAfricansavannaas their "kingdom"known as the Pride Lands, with their leaderSimbawatching over it as "king".The first three animated feature films are widely known for being influenced by the works ofWilliam Shakespeare,[2][3]as well as other works based on his material.

Films

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Film U.S release date Director(s) Screenwriter(s) Story by Producers Production companies Distributors
Traditionally animated feature films
The Lion King June 15, 1994 Roger AllersandRob Minkoff Irene Mecchi,Jonathan RobertsandLinda Woolverton Brenda Chapman,Barry Johnson,Andy Gaskill,Kevin Harkey,Tom Sito,Rick Maki,Burny Mattinson,Lorna Cook,Gary Trousdale,Jorgen Klubien,Larry Leker, Ed Gombert, Mark Kausler, Thom Enriquez, Jim Capobianco,Chris Sanders,Joe RanftandFrancis Glebas Don Hahn Walt Disney PicturesandWalt Disney Feature Animation Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
The Lion King II: Simba's Pride October 27, 1998 Darrell Rooneyand Rob LaDuca Flip Kobler and Cindy Marcus Jeannine Roussel Walt Disney Video Premiere,Walt Disney Television Animation,Walt Disney Animation AustraliaandWalt Disney Animation Canada Walt Disney Home Video
The Lion King 1½ February 10, 2004 Bradley Raymond Tom Rogers George A. Mendoza Disneytoon StudiosandWalt Disney Animation Australia Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Photorealistic CGI animated feature films
The Lion King July 19, 2019 Jon Favreau Jeff Nathanson Jon Favreau, Jeffrey Silver and Karen Gilchrist Walt Disney Pictures andFairview Entertainment Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Mufasa: The Lion King December 20, 2024 Barry Jenkins Adele Romanskiand Mark Ceryak Walt Disney Pictures and Pastel Productions
Musical film
Black Is King July 31, 2020 Beyoncé Beyoncé, Yrsa Daley-Ward,Clover Hopeand Andrew Morrow Jeremy Sullivan, Jimi Adesanya, Blitz Bazawule, Ben Cooper, Astrid Edwards, Durwin Julies, Yoli Mes, Dafe Oboro, Akin Omotoso, Will Whitney, Lauren Baker, Jason Baum, Alex Chamberlain, Robert Day, Christophe Faubert, Brien Justiniano, Rethabile Molatela Mothobi, Sylvia Zakhary, Nathan Scherrer and Erinn Williams Parkwood Entertainmentand
Walt Disney Pictures
Disney+

Traditionally animated feature films

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The Lion King

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The Lion Kingis the original film of the franchise. It was directed byRoger AllersandRob Minkoff.It was produced byWalt Disney Feature Animation,premiered in selected cities on June 15, 1994, and widely released to theaters on June 24 byWalt Disney Pictures.[4]The Lion Kingbelongs to an era known as theDisney Renaissance.[5]The plot of the film is influenced byWilliam Shakespeare's playHamlet,[2]and is believed to have been inspired byOsamu Tezuka's 1960s JapaneseanimeseriesKimba the White Lion.[6][7][8][9][10][11][12]

Around the World with Timon and Pumbaa

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The seriesThe Lion King's Timon & Pumbaahad a direct-to-video film namedAround the World with Timon and Pumbaa,withNathan LaneandErnie Sabellareprising their roles as Timon and Pumbaa respectively. The story tells of Pumbaa getting struck by lightning, losing all his memory, and Timon helps refrain every moment they spent. After Pumbaa gets his memory back, lightning strikes Timon losing his memory this time, making Pumbaa break the fourth wall by telling the viewers to rewind the tape to start at the beginning, being it was the only way to help Timon remember. Several episodes from the series are featured in this film. Aside from this film, two other DVDs,Dining Out...andOn Holiday...are an hour compilation of other episodes of the series. No DVDs have been released in the U.S. but were released on VHS.

The Lion King II: Simba's Pride

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The Lion King II: Simba's Pridewas released byWalt Disney Studios Home Entertainmenton VHS in the United States on October 27, 1998. It was directed byDarrell Rooneyand co-directed by Rob LaDuca. It was first released on DVD as a limited issue on November 23, 1999, and placed intomoratoriumuntil it was again released on DVD on August 31, 2004, when it was a two-disc special edition. The plot of this animated film is heavily influenced by another Shakespeare play,Romeo and Juliet.[3]

The Lion King 1½

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The Lion King 1½,also known asThe Lion King 3: Hakuna Matatain some countries, is the second and final direct-to-video installment of the film series. It was directed byBradley Raymondand released by Walt Disney Home Entertainment on February 10, 2004. The film is achronologically concurrent sequelto the first film, focusing onTimon and Pumbaa.It was somewhat influenced byTom Stoppard's playRosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead,in which the title characters are seen in every major event ofHamlet.[13][14][15]

The Lion Guardtelevision movies

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The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar

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The Lion Guard: Return of the Roaris a television movie that premiered on November 22, 2015, serving as a pilot forThe Lion Guardtelevision series, which debuted in early 2016 onDisney Junior.[16][17]Return of the Roarwas directed byHowy Parkinsand written byFord Riley.The film focuses onSimbaandNala's cub Kion, who as second-born to the throne, becomes leader of the Lion Guard, a group that protects the Pride Lands and defends the Circle of Life. As leader of the Lion Guard, Kion is gifted with a power called the Roar of the Elders which when used, causes the great lion spirits of the Pride Lands' past to roar with him. Going against tradition, Kion chooses non-lions to be members of his guard; his friends Bunga the honey badger, Ono the egret, Beshte the hippo, and Fuli the cheetah.

The Lion Guard: The Rise of Scar

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A television movie, or extended episode, which premiered on July 29, 2017, onDisney Channelduring season 2 ofThe Lion Guard.[18]As the dry season begins, the Lion Guard continues to protect the Pride Lands, and Rafiki takes on an apprentice named Makini. Meanwhile, Janja the hyena and his clan, along with their new ally Ushari the cobra, orchestrate events that allow them to summon the spirit ofScarin order to defeat the Lion Guard and take over the Pride Lands.

The Lion Guard: Battle for the Pride Lands

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A television movie which premiered on August 3, 2019, onDisney Channelduring season 3 ofThe Lion Guard.In the film, Scar enacts the final stage of his plan against the Pride Lands, and the Lion Guard begin a final battle with him which dovetails into the events which separate the Lion Guard from the rest of the Pride Lands during the events ofSimba's Pride.

Photorealistic CGI animated feature films

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The Lion King

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A photorealistic computer-generated imagery remake ofThe Lion Kingwas directed byJon Favreauand produced through his production company Fairview Entertainment. The film's voice cast featuresDonald Gloveras Simba,Chiwetel Ejioforas Scar,BeyoncéasNala,Alfre Woodardas Sarabi,John Oliveras Zazu,John Kanias Rafiki,Billy EichnerandSeth RogenasTimon and Pumbaa,andJames Earl Jonesreprised his role as Mufasa.[19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28]The remake was released on July 19, 2019.[29]

Mufasa: The Lion King

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A follow-up film is in development withBarry Jenkinsattached to direct and Jeff Nathanson set to return as screenwriter.[30][31]While it has been referred to as a prequel, the film has been described as being set after the events of the 2019 film while also exploring Mufasa's formative years.[30][31]Aaron Pierrewill be voicing young Mufasa andKelvin Harrison Jr.will voice young Scar.[32]The film, titledMufasa: The Lion King,is scheduled for release in 2024.[33]

Musical films

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Black Is King

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Avisual companionto the 2019Beyoncésoundtrack albumThe Lion King: The Gift,curated by the singer herself for the filmThe Lion King(2019).[34]The film tells the story of a young African prince who is exiled from his kingdom after his father's death, as an allegory for theAfrican diaspora's journey of discovering, reclaiming and celebrating their culture and heritage, which is echoed by the inclusion of spoken-word poetry that focuses on the question of black identity.[35]It was directed by Beyoncé herself,Emmanuel Adjei,Blitz Bazawule,Pierre Debusschere,Jenn Nkiru,Ibra Ake,Dikayl Rimmasch andJake Nava.[36]The film was released globally onDisney+in 2020.[37]

Television series

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SeriesSeasonEpisodesOriginally releasedNetwork
The Lion King's Timon & Pumbaa125 (53 segments)13 (26 segments)September 8, 1995(1995-09-08)December 29, 1995(1995-12-29)Syndicated
12 (27 segments)September 16, 1995(1995-09-16)December 16, 1995(1995-12-16)CBS
221 (40 segments)13 (24 segments)September 2, 1996(1996-09-02)November 25, 1996(1996-11-25)Syndicated
8 (16 segments)September 14, 1996(1996-09-14)November 9, 1996(1996-11-09)CBS
339 (78 segments)January 1, 1999(1999-01-01)September 24, 1999(1999-09-24)Toon Disney
The Lion GuardPilotNovember 22, 2015(2015-11-22)Disney Channel
126January 15, 2016(2016-01-15)April 21, 2017(2017-04-21)Disney Junior
229July 7, 2017(2017-07-07)April 22, 2019(2019-04-22)
319August 3, 2019(2019-08-03)November 3, 2019(2019-11-03)

The Lion King's Timon & Pumbaa

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The Lion King's Timon & Pumbaais a spin-offcartoon seriesthat follows the adventures ofTimon and Pumbaa(and occasionally, the film's other supporting characters). The show ran for three seasons, airing on thesyndicatedblockThe Disney AfternoonandCBSin the United States, andBBSin Canada from September 8, 1995, to November 1, 1998. It had Bobs Gannaway and Tony Craig serving as the executive producers for the first two seasons. As of Season 3, the show was produced by Chris Bartleman and Blair Peters, with Tedd and Patsy Cameron-Anasti serving as the executive producers. Since February 8, 2009 (after its final airing on the now-defunctToon Disneybefore replaced byDisney XD), this show was no longer on the air, but returned along with some other favorites on March 23, 2012, for a limited time, as part of the newDisney JuniorTV channel. The series uses fast-pacedslapstick comedyin order to convey life lessons to young viewers.[38]

The Lion Guard

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A second TV show calledThe Lion Guardpremiered onDisney JuniorandDisney Channel;it first appeared as a television movie calledThe Lion Guard: Return of the Roarwhich debuted on November 22, 2015, followed by a series which began airing on January 15, 2016.[39][17]A preschool-oriented spin-off, the series was developed byFord Riley,who also serves as writer and executive producer. It centers aroundSimbaandNala's second-born cub Kion, who becomes leader of the Lion Guard, a team that protects the Pride Lands and defends the Circle of Life. As leader of the Lion Guard, Kion is gifted with a power called the Roar of the Elders which when used, causes the great lion spirits of the Pride Lands' past to roar with him.The Lion Guardis a sequel toThe Lion Kingand takes place during the time-gap within the 1998 film,The Lion King II: Simba's Pride,[40]with the last two episodes of Season 3 taking place after the events of that film. Various characters from the first two films also make appearances in the show, including Kiara, Timon, Pumbaa, Rafiki, Zazu, and Mufasa.[41][42]New characters Bunga the honey badger, Ono the egret, Beshte the hippo, and Fuli the cheetah are Kion's friends and members of his Lion Guard.[43][44]

Shorts

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Find Out Why

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Find Out Whyis a short educational series that features Timon and Pumbaa answering science questions like why there is lightning, why pandas don't live in deserts, why there is wind, and why an airplane flies. These shorts are for educational purposes at schools, non-residential and residential uses for people, including students and kids everywhere in the world.

Timon and Pumbaa's Wild About Safety

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Together with Timon (voiced by Bruce Lanoil) and Pumbaa (voiced by Ernie Sabella), students learn a variety of safety lessons for around the house, for the environment, and for in the water that will help themselves and others avoid injuries, live problem-free, and be Safety Smart. At the end of each episode, Timon and Pumbaa sing a musical number reviewing all that they learned on the episode in question.

A series of shorts based on the "Wild About Safety" series, called "Safety Smart: On the Go!", was also released. Based on the "Wild About Safety" episode of the same name, "Safety Smart: On the Go" is a series of shorts that detail topics on how to be safe when traveling, such as when riding vehicles, using bikes & scooters, walking to travel as pedestrians, or even when visiting amusement parks. The "Safety Smart: On the Go!" short series is most well known for being displayed in resorts in Walt Disney World (Florida) & Disneyland (California), in addition to a "Wild About Safety" video about how to be safe in resort hotels & the original "Wild About Safety" episode that the "Safety Smart: On the Go!" short series is based on.

It's UnBungalievable

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A short-form series in which Bunga and Ono fromThe Lion Guardpick two animals to compete in contests such as "Who's Quicker?" "Who Has Better Hair?" and "Who's Hungrier?" The series features live-action animal footage provided byDisneynature.[45]

Theatrical

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Theme Park attractions

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The Legend of the Lion Kingwas an underground stage performance retelling the story of the film using fully articulated puppets inMagic Kingdom'sFantasyland.This attraction ran from June 1994 to February 2002.

A Broadway-caliber short-form stage musical namedFestival of the Lion King(formerly known asA Celebration of the Festival of the Lion King) is performed live inDisney's Animal KingdomatWalt Disney World,Floridaand inAdventurelandatHong Kong Disneyland.It uses the concept of tribal celebration in combination with ideas fromDisney's Electrical Parade.The show is in the form of a revue, and not a condensed version of either the film or Broadway show. However, it features theaward-winning musicfrom the first film, written byElton JohnandTim Rice.The show uses songs, dance, puppetry and visual effects to create an African savannah setting filled with lions, elephants, giraffes, birds, zebras and gazelles.

Broadway musical

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A Broadway musical, based on Disney's 1994 animated feature film, debuted July 8, 1997, inMinneapolis,Minnesotaat the Orpheum Theatre. Directed byJulie Taymor,produced byDisney Theatrical Productions,and written by the co-director of the original film,Roger Allers,with writerIrene Mecchi.The musical features actors in elaborate animal costumes, and complex puppetry, created by Taymor andMichael Curry.The musical is divided in two acts and has music byElton Johnand lyrics byTim Rice,along with the musical score created byHans Zimmerwith choral arrangements byLebo M.[46]The musical incorporates several changes and additions to the storyline as compared to the film, as well as adding more songs.

The musical became a success even before premiering onBroadwayat theNew Amsterdam Theateron October 15, 1997, in previews with the official opening on November 13 the same year. On June 13, 2006, the Broadway production moved to theMinskoff Theatreto make way for the musical version ofMary Poppins,where it is still running.[47]It is now Broadway'sthird-longest-running showin history. The show debuted in theWest End'sLyceum Theatreon October 19, 1999, and is still running. The cast of the West End production were invited to perform at theRoyal Variety Performance2008 at theLondon Palladiumon December 11, in the presence of senior members of theBritish Royal Family.[48]Other productions within the U.S. include aLos Angelesproduction at thePantages Theatre,inCharlotteat the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, and aLas Vegasproduction atMandalay Bay.[49]International productions include a British at theLyceum TheatreinLondon,a Canadian at thePrincess of Wales TheatreinToronto,a Mexican inMexico City,[50]and a South African inJohannesburg,[51]among others. The first ever UK tour opened atBristol Hippodromeon August 31, 2012.

Video games

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Two video games based on the first film have been released. The first, titledThe Lion King,was published in 1994 byVirginand was released for theNintendo Entertainment System(only in Europe),Super NES,Game Boy,Master System,Mega Drive/Genesis,Game Gear,MS-DOS,andAmiga.[52]The second game, calledThe Lion King: Simba's Mighty Adventure,was published in 2000 by Activision and was released for thePlayStationandGame Boy Color.[53]It was based on the first film and its storyline continued into the sequel.

In 1996,Disney Interactiveand7th LevelreleasedTimon & Pumbaa's Jungle Gamesfor the PC. It was later seen on the SNES. TheGamesinclude: one in which Pumbaa uses his gas to destroy fruits and bugs (and even a kitchen sink) that fall out of trees, a variation of pinball, a game where players use a peashooter to hit enemy creatures in the jungle, a game where Timon has to jump onto hippos in order to cross a river to deliver bugs to Pumbaa, and a variation ofPuyo PuyocalledBug Drop.[54]

Aneducational gamecalledDisney's Adventures in Typing With Timon and Pumbaawas released by Disney Interactive in 1998 for PCs withMicrosoft WindowsandMac OS.The game teaches children how to type through use of five games. It features the characters Rafiki, Timon and Pumbaa.[55][56]

In theDisney Interactive StudiosandSquare Enixvideo gameKingdom Hearts,Simba appears as an ally that Sora can summon during battles.[57]He also appears again as a summon character inKingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories&Kingdom Hearts III.InKingdom Hearts II,the Pride Lands are a playable world and a number of characters from the film appear, including Nala, Timon and Pumbaa, Rafiki and Mufasa, with Scar and the three Hyenas serving asenemies.[58]

A game calledThe Lion King 1½was published in 2003 for theGame Boy Advance,based on the direct-to-video film and featuring Timon and Pumbaa as the playable characters.[59]Some of the film's characters are playable inDisney's Extreme Skate Adventure,a spin-off of theTony Hawkgames.

Simba is also a character in the video gameDisney Friends,where the player can interact with him. Timon and Pumbaa also appear as supporting characters in game.[60]

In theworld buildervideo gameDisney Magic Kingdoms,a limited time Event based onThe Lion Kingintroduced Simba, Nala, Timon, Pumbaa, Rafiki, Zazu and Scar as playable characters, as well as some attractions based on locations of the film.[61]Shenzi, Banzai and Ed were also included as playable characters in a later update of the game.[62]In the game the characters are involved in new storylines that serve as a continuation ofThe Lion King(ignoring other materials in the franchise).

Other media

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Theme Park attractions

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A 70 mm film entitledCircle of Life: An Environmental Fableis shown in the Harvest Theater inThe Land PavilionatEpcotinWalt Disney World,Orlando, Florida.It opened on January 21, 1995, replacingSymbiosis.It stars the characters fromThe Lion King,where the story follows Timon and Pumbaa chopping down trees and clogging up rivers to build the Hakuna Matata Lakeside Village. Simba comes to them and explains how their actions are harmful tonature.This lesson is explained with live-action footage, some left over fromSymbiosis.The film ran for 23 years before ultimately closing on February 3, 2018.

The Lion King Celebrationwas a parade based on the film that ran at Disneyland from June 1, 1994, to June 1, 1997. It was designed as though the story of Simba was a tale passed down in Africa for generations.[63]The parade featured six floats designed around different aspects of Africa, dancers dressed in animal costumes and a Pride Rock float featuring Simba and Nala.

At D23 2024 on August 10, 2024, it was announced that a newLion KingLand with a new log flume ride, will be added to Disney Adventure World at Disneyland Paris.[64][65]

The characters also appear atWalt Disney Parks and Resortsas meet and greet characters.

Books

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Roger Allers, who was the animated feature film's co-director, and Irene Mecchi, who was the animated feature film's screenplay co-writer, authored the animated feature film's book adaptation.[1]

The Lion King: Six New Adventures,a collection of six spin-off books was published in 1994[66]by Grolier Enterprises Inc. These books were approved by Disney and take place afterThe Lion King.The story of these books center around Kopa, the son of Simba who is mischievous and adventurous but good-hearted just like his father was when he was young. In each book, while doing mischief Kopa learns a life-lesson and meets up with Rafiki who gives him wisdom by narrating the past tales of the Pridelands.

House of Mouse

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The many characters fromThe Lion Kingappear in theDisney ChannelseriesHouse of Mouse.[67]Some of them also appear in the series' spin-off filmsMickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of MouseandMickey's House of Villains.

Digital apps

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A digital storybook app calledThe Lion King: Timon's Taleretelling the story of The Lion King from Timon's point-of-view was released on February 24. 2012 foriOSdevices.[68]

Plot and themes

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The story is set in a kingdom ofanthropomorphicanimals in Africa known as the Pride Lands, where a lion rules over the other animals as king.[2]The Lion Kingbegins when Rafiki, a mandrill, anoints Simba, the newborn son of King Mufasa and Queen Sarabi, presenting him to a gathering of animals at the Pride Rock. Simba is next seen as a young cub, with Mufasa teaching him about the "Circle of Life". Simba's uncle and Mufasa's brother Scar plots to take the throne for himself and tells Simba about an elephant graveyard, a place where Mufasa has warned Simba not to go. When Simba and his best friend Nala sneak off to the elephant graveyard, Shenzi, Banzai and Ed, three hyenas aligned with Scar, attack and try to kill the two cubs, but they are stopped by Mufasa. Scar's next plan is to lure Simba into a gorge while the hyenas create a wildebeest stampede. Alerted by Scar, Mufasa races to rescue Simba from the stampede. He saves his son but is left clinging to the edge of a cliff, which results in Scar flinging him into the stampede below and killing him. Scar then tricks Simba into thinking that he is responsible for his father's death and tells him to run away, only to later order the hyenas to kill Simba, but they fail. Scar informs the pride that both Mufasa and Simba were killed and that he is assuming the throne as the next in line. Simba is later found unconscious by Timon and Pumbaa, who adopt and raise him. It is not until Simba is a young adult lion that he meets Nala again, and the two lions fall in love. Along with Rafiki and Mufasa's ghost, Nala convinces Simba to return to the Pride Lands and claim the throne. Simba, along with Nala, Timon, and Pumbaa go to the Pride Rock, where Simba confronts, fights, and defeats Scar, who is later betrayed and killed by his own army of hyenas as a result of Scar's blaming of the hyenas for Mufasa's death. The film concludes with the Pride Lands turning green with life again and Rafiki presenting Simba and Nala's newborn cub.

The Lion King's Timon & Pumbaafollows the further adventures of the titular meerkat and warthog duo, as they continue to live by their problem-free philosophy Hakuna Matata. Timon and Pumbaa are seen having their own (mis)adventures both within' and outside of the Serengeti, encountering new allies and enemies throughout their journey, such as Speedy the Snail, Boss Beaver, and human nemesis Quint. The series also has episodes centering respectively on Rafiki, Zazu, and hyena trio Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed. Simba himself also makes recurring appearances throughout the show. The episode "Once Upon a Timon" reveals the (original) story of how Timon and Pumbaa first met and how their friendship came to be.

The Lion King II: Simba's Pridebegins with the presentation of Simba and Nala's daughter named Kiara. Simba is very protective of his daughter and assigns Timon and Pumbaa to be her guardians. One day, the young cub sneaks into the Outlands, the place in which a group of lions loyal to Scar called the Outsiders reside after Simba exiles them from the Pride Lands. In the Outlands, Kiara meets a young male cub named Kovu, Scar's hand-chosen successor, and the two of them befriend each other until Simba and Kovu's mother, Zira arrive and a fight between Pride Landers and Outsiders almost takes place. Later in the film, Zira decides that she can use Kovu's new friendship with Kiara to get her revenge against Simba. Kiara is next seen as an adolescent lioness and is set to go for her first solo-hunt, but discovers that her father still sends Timon and Pumbaa to watch her. Furious, Kiara goes further from home until Zira's other children, Nuka and Vitani, set fire to the plains where Kiara is hunting, causing her to faint and giving Kovu the chance to rescue her. Simba finds that Kovu has helped Kiara and reluctantly allows him into the Pride Lands. While Simba struggles with the idea of accepting Kovu, Kiara and Kovu eventually fall in love. One morning, Simba invites Kovu for a walk but they are ambushed by Zira and her pride. They attack Simba but, while chasing him, Nuka got killed by the logs, resulting in Zira blaming and scratching Kovu for his death giving him a scar over his left eye. A wounded Simba exiles Kovu as he thinks Kovu was behind the ambush, but Kiara, knowing that Kovu would never do such a thing, runs away from Pride Rock against her father's orders and reunites with Kovu and convinces him to return with her to reunite their prides. Meanwhile, Zira leads her pride in a war against Simba and the Pridelanders and a fierce battle breaks out. Kovu and Kiara leap between them and Kiara reminds her father that, by his own words, "we are one". Zira refuses to end the battle, but Vitani and the other Outsiders understand Kiara's words and abandon their leader and join the Pridelanders. Now alone, Zira leaps for Simba, but Kiara pushes her away and they fall over a cliff. Kiara lands on a rock, but Zira slips and falls into the lake to death. Simba allows the Outsiders, including Kovu, to return to the Pride Lands, and Kovu is allowed to stand with Kiara at the top of Pride Rock.

The Lion King 1½is a retelling of the events of the first film from Timon and Pumbaa's perspective. It also tells the story of Timon's origin, how he first met Pumbaa, and how their friendship came to be, serving as a reimagined version of the "Once Upon a Timon" episode ofThe Lion King's Timon & Pumbaa.

InThe Lion Guard,the majority of the series takes place after Kiara meets Kovu, but before her first hunt. The series follows the adventures of Simba and Nala's son Kion as he assembles the titular group of animals to protect the Pride Lands. In Season 2, Scar, the antagonist of the original film, makes his return in the animated series as a flame spirit, and plots revenge against Simba and plans to overthrow him as King by gathering up all the Outlanders to form an army. In the special "Battle for the Pride Lands" which serves as a prequel and pilot for Season 3, Kion continues to battle the spirit of Scar. In a series of events (ones involving Janja's betrayal of Scar), Kion managed to defeat and destroy Scar forever, but not before receiving a facial wound identical to his great uncle's, courtesy of the cobra Ushari (who is later killed in the fight). Season 3 featured Kion journeying throughout the Pride Lands to the Tree of Life to heal his scar before the venom corrupts him into the lion Scar once was. The last 2 episodes of Season 3 take place after the war between Simba's pride & Zira's outsiders.

Cast and characters

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A total of thirteen supervising animators fromWalt Disney Animation StudiosandDisney's Hollywood Studioswere responsible for establishing the personalities and setting the tone for the first film's main characters. The animation team studied real-life animals for reference, as was done for the earlier filmBambi.[69]The animation of the characters was created with supervision by wildlife experts such asJim Fowler,who visited the studio on several occasions with an assortment of lions and other jungle inhabitants to discuss behavior and help the animators give their drawings an authentic feel. He taught them how lions greet one another by gently butting heads, and show affection by placing one's head under the other's chin, mannerisms that can be appreciated in Simba and Nala's encounter during the song "Can You Feel the Love Tonight".Fowler also talked about how they protect themselves by lying on their backs and using their claws to ward off attackers, and how they fight rivals by rising on their hind legs.[70]ScreenwriterIrene Mecchijoined the directing team to help in the character development process as well as to define each character's personality. Story headBrenda Chapman,gave insight to the challenge of the characters and the story by stating that "it was our job to make the main character likeable and sympathetic. It was also challenging to make the environment and characters interesting. In real life, lions basically sleep, eat and have no props."[70]

Two spin-off television series have been produced, one focusing on the characters of Timon the meerkat and Pumbaa the warthog calledThe Lion King's Timon & Pumbaa,and the other focusing on new character Kion calledThe Lion Guard.Three sets of educational shorts have also been produced.

List indicators

This section includes characters who will appear or have appeared in the franchise.

  • An empty, dark grey cell indicates the character was not in the film, or that the character's official presence has not yet been confirmed.
  • Oindicates an older version of the character.
  • Yindicates a younger version of the character.
  • Sindicates an appearance as a character's singing voice.
Characters Main films Television series Television film Remake films
The Lion King The Lion King II: Simba's Pride The Lion King 1½ The Lion King's Timon & Pumbaa The Lion Guard The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar The Lion King Mufasa: The Lion King
Season 1 Season 2 Season 3 Season 1 Season 2 Season 3
Simba Matthew Broderick Cam Clarke Rob Lowe Donald Glover Donald Glover
Jonathan Taylor ThomasY Cam ClarkeS Matt WeinbergY
Jason WeaverYS
Joseph WilliamsOS JD McCraryY
Evan SaucedoYS[a]
Timon Nathan Lane Nathan Lane Kevin Schon Billy Eichner
Quinton Flynn
Pumbaa Ernie Sabella Seth Rogen
Nala Moira Kelly Moira Kelly Gabrielle Union Beyoncé Beyoncé
Niketa CalameY
Laura WilliamsYS Shahadi Wright JosephY
Sally DworskyOS
Rafiki Robert Guillaume Khary Payton John Kani John Kani
Kagiso LedigaY
Zazu Rowan Atkinson Edward Hibbert Silent cameo Edward Hibbert Jeff Bennett John Oliver Preston NymanY
Jeff Bennett[b]
Mufasa James Earl Jones Silent role Gary Anthony Williams James Earl Jones Aaron PierreY
Scar Jeremy Irons Jim Cummings Silent cameo Silent cameo David Oyelowo Silent cameo Chiwetel Ejiofor Kelvin Harrison Jr.Y
Jim Cummings
Shenzi Whoopi Goldberg Whoopi Goldberg Tress MacNeille Silent role Florence Kasumba
Banzai[c] Cheech Marin Cheech Marin Rob Paulsen Keegan-Michael Key
Ed[d] Jim Cummings Jim Cummings Eric André
Sarabi Madge Sinclair Silent role Silent cameo Alfre Woodard Tiffany BooneY
Sarafina Zoe Leader Penny Johnson Jerald
Gopher Jim Cummings Jim Cummings
Kiara Character is mute Neve Campbell Eden Riegel Character is mute Blue Ivy Carter
Mary GibbsY
Michelle HornY
Charity SanoyYS
Liz CallawayOS
Ashley EdnerY
Kovu Jason Marsden Jason Marsden Silent cameo Jason Marsden
Ryan O'DonohueY
Gene MillerS
Zira Suzanne Pleshette Nika Futterman Silent cameo
Nuka Andy Dick Andy Dick Silent cameo
Vitani Jennifer Lien Lacey Chabert Lacey Chabert
Lacey ChabertY
Crysta MacalushS
Ma Julie Kavner
Uncle Max Jerry Stiller
Flinchy Jason Rudofsky
Quint Corey Burton
Speedy Corey Burton
Fred S. Scott Bullock
Irwin Charlie Adler
Natives Jeff Bennett
Cheetata Rob Paulsen Rob Paulsen
Cheetato Jim Cummings Jim Cummings
Boss Beaver Brad Garrett
Toucan Dan Jeff Bennett
Mr. Bear Jim Cummings
Little Jimmy Joe Alaskey
Kion Max Charles Max Charles Max Charles
Aaron Daniel JacobS
Bunga Joshua Rush
Fuli Diamond White
Beshte Dusan Brown
Ono Atticus Shaffer
Janja Andrew Kishino
Cheezi Vargus Mason
Chungu Kevin Schon
Mzingo Greg Ellis
Jasiri Maia Mitchell
Madoa Maisie Klompus
Makucha Steve Blum
Makini Landry Bender
Anga Bryana Salaz
Rani Peyton Elizabeth Lee
Lana McKissackS
Kiros Mads Mikkelsen
Eshe Thandiwe Newton
Obasi Lennie James
Asigo Keith David
Afia Anika Noni Rose

Development

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History

edit

Early production ofThe Lion Kingbegan in late 1988, with the film originally being titledKing of the Kalahariand laterKing of the Jungle.[71]The treatment, inspired byHamlet,was written byThomas M. Disch(author ofThe Brave Little Toaster) as work-for-hire; Disch received no credit or royalties. Production took place at the Walt Disney Animation Studios inGlendale, California.Also, nearly 20 minutes of the film were animated at the Disney-MGM Studios.[70]Ultimately, more than 600 artists, animators and technicians contributed toThe Lion Kingover its lengthy production schedule. More than one million drawings were created for the film, including 1,197 hand-painted backgrounds and 119,058 individually colored frames of film.[70]

In October 1991, after finishing work onBeauty and the Beastas Head of Story,Roger AllersjoinedThe Lion King,as the initial director. Allers worked for 6 months on story development and was then joined by co-director,Rob Minkoff.A 2-day story session was held to revamp the story with the two directors, Allers and Minkoff, joined byGary TrousdaleandKirk Wise,directors ofBeauty and the Beast,and ProducerDon Hahnwho presided over the discussion. The creative think-tank produced a character makeover for Simba and a radically revised second half of the film.[70]Irene Mecchijoined the team that summer to help further develop the characters and define their personalities. Several months later, she was joined byJonathan Robertsin the rewriting process. Working together in the animation department and in conjunction with the directors and story team, they tackled the unresolved emotional issues in the script and also added many comic situations.[70]Some of the lead production crew made a trip to Africa to better understand the environment for the film. The trip gave production designerChris Sandersa new appreciation for the natural environments and inspired him to find ways to incorporate these elements into the design of the film.[70]The filmmakers also made use of computers to better present their vision in new ways. The most notable use ofcomputer animationis in the "wildebeest stampede" sequence. Several distinct wildebeest characters were created in a 3D computer program, multiplied into hundreds,cel shadedto look like drawn animation, and given randomized paths down a mountainside to simulate the real, unpredictable movement of a herd. Similar multiplication occurs in the "Be Prepared"musical number with identical marching hyenas.[72]Five specially trained animators and technicians spent more than two years creating the 2½ minute stampede sequence.[70]

At one time, the Disney Feature Animation staff feltThe Lion Kingwas less important thanPocahontas.[2]Both projects were in production at the same time, and most of the staff preferred to work onPocahontas,believing it would be the more prestigious and successful of the two.[2]As it turned out, while both films were commercial successes,The Lion Kingreceived more positive feedback and larger grosses thanPocahontas.[73][74][75]

The sequelThe Lion King II: Simba's Pridewas directed byDarrell Rooneyand produced by Jeannine Roussel, with Flip Kobler and Cindy Marcus writing the screenplay. Disney believed thatSimba's Pridewould be so popular that it shipped 15 million copies to stores for the October 27 release date.[76]

Music

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Theoriginal motion picture soundtrackfor the first film was released byWalt Disney Recordson June 13, 1994, two days before the film's release. It contains songs by songwriterElton JohnandTim Rice,who wrote five original songs, with Elton John performing "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" during the end credits. Additionally, "The Morning Report", a song which was not present in the original theatrical film, was later added to theIMAXtheater and to theDVDPlatinum Edition release. The film's score was composed byHans Zimmerand supplemented with traditional African music and choir elements arranged byLebo M.[77]Elton John thought his career had hit a new low when he was writing the music to the song "Hakuna Matata".[78]However, the strongly enthusiastic audience reception to an earlyfilm trailerwhich consisted solely of the opening sequence with the song "Circle of Life",suggested that the film would be very successful.[citation needed]Out of the five original songs, "Hakuna Matata" was listed at number 99 in theAFI's 100 Years...100 Songslist in 2004,[79]and "Can You Feel the Love Tonight"won theOscarfor Best Original Song during the67th Academy Awards.The soundtrack itself was the fourth best-selling album of 1994 on theBillboard200and the top-selling soundtrack.[80]

Disney releasedRhythm of the Pride Landson February 28, 1995, as a sequel to the soundtrack of the first film. Rhythm of the Pride Lands was initially printed in a very limited quantity, but was later re-released in 2003, included in some international versions of The Lion King's special edition soundtrack with an additional track, "Circle of Life".

An audio CD entitledReturn to Pride Rock: Songs Inspired by Disney's The Lion King II: Simba's Pridewas released on September 8, 1998. Although not promoted as a soundtrack toThe Lion King II: Simba's Pride,it contained all the songs from the film and some additional songs inspired by it by Lebo M. Tina Turner recorded a version of "He Lives in You" for the film. On August 31, 2004, Disney released an "enhanced soundtrack" to coincide with the release of the film's 2-Disc Special Edition DVD. However, the CD only contains the songs featured in the film, without any of the inspired songs by the first film.Siskel & Ebertnoted that it was best the film was direct-to-video, since the music was lacking and not remotely equal to the original's soundtrack.[81]

The soundtrack for the third film,The Lion King 1½: Songs From Timon and Pumbaa's Hilarious Adventure,was released to CD by Disney on February 10, 2004. It includes two songs from the original film, "That's All I Need" and "Hakuna Matata", re-performed by Nathan Lane who took over the role of voicing the character Timon. The rest of the soundtrack includes variousR&Btracks, including remakes of theKool and the Gangclassic "Jungle Boogie" by artist French, and two instrumental pieces from film composerDon Harper.The soundtrack also includesEnnio Morricone's theme from "The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly".[82]

Reception

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During its release in 1994,The Lion Kingwas widely acclaimed, grossing more than $783 million worldwide, becoming the most successful film released that year. The film was the highest grossing animated film of all time until the release of Disney/Pixar'sFinding Nemo.The Lion Kingis still the highest grossing traditionally animated film of all time in the United States.[83][84]The film received many award nominations, and won theAcademy Awardfor Best Original Score,[85]theGolden Globe awardfor Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy,[86]and theAnnie Award for Best Animated Feature.[87]The song "Can You Feel the Love Tonight"alone won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, the Golden Globe for Best Original Song, theBMI Film Music Award,and theGrammy Awardfor Best Vocal Performance Male.

Onhome video,The Lion Kingbecame thebest-selling filmonVHS,selling 32million tapes,[88]and grossing$520 millionin video sales.[89]The Lion King II: Simba's Pridesold 3.5 million copies in three days. Thirteen million copies were sold while it was still in print in the late 1990s.[90]By 2000, it had sold 15million VHS copies,[91]and grossed about$300 millionin sales andrentals.[92]The Lion King 1½sold 6millionDVDand VHS units in North America.[93]The Lion Kingmusical has grossed nearly$8.1 billionas of 2017, and is the highest-grossing musical of all time.[94]

Both sequels won theAnnie Award for Best Animated Home Entertainment Production.The Lion King 1½also won fiveDVD Exclusive Awards.The musical won sixTony Awardsincluding Best Musical.[95][96]

Box office performance

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Filmor
Musical
Release date Box office (in millions)
United States Outside US Worldwide
The Lion King(1994) June 15, 1994[4] $422.8[97] $545.7[97] $968.5[97]
The Lion King(musical) November 13, 1997 $1,652.8[98] $8,100 (2017)[94]
The Lion King II: Simba's Pride October 27, 1998 Direct-to-video
The Lion King 1½ February 10, 2004
The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar November 22, 2015 Television film
The Lion King(2019) July 19, 2019[99] $543.6[100] $1,113.2[100] $1,656.8[100]

Critical response

edit
Films Rotten Tomatoes Metacritic CinemaScore[101]
The Lion King(1994) 93% (136 reviews)[74] 88 (30 reviews)[102] A+
The Lion King II: Simba's Pride 62% (13 reviews)[103]
The Lion King 1½ 78% (18 reviews)[104]
The Lion King(2019) 52% (430 reviews)[105] 55 (54 reviews)[106] A

Notes

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  1. ^Saucedo provided young Simba's singing voice in "The Morning Report", a newly animated song sequence that was added to the 2003 DVD Special Edition ofThe Lion King.
  2. ^Bennett provided the voice of Zazu in "The Morning Report", a newly animated song sequence that was added to the 2003 DVD Special Edition ofThe Lion King.
  3. ^In the original animated version ofThe Lion King,the aggressive and serious member of Shenzi's clan is known as Banzai. In the 2019 remake, he is renamed to Kamari. Despite this, they are the same character.
  4. ^In the original animated version ofThe Lion King,the slow-minded member of Shenzi's clan is known as Ed. In the 2019 remake, he is renamed to Azizi. Despite this, they are the same character.

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