The Lion King Reborn

The Lion King Reborn is a 2019 American animated epic, adventure, musical, drama, and dark comedy film directed by Rob Minkoff and Roger Allers from a screenplay by Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, Linda Woolverton, and Jeff Nathanson, and produced by Walt Disney Pictures. It is a remake of Disney's traditionally animated 1994 film and the first feature part of the Disney Reborn Multiverse (DRM). Based on the Lion King franchise, it stars an ensemble voice cast that includes Matthew Broderick, Ernie Sabella, Jeremy Irons, Nathan Lane, Rowan Atkinson, Meredith Scott Lynn, Jason Marsden, Neve Campbell, Whoopi Goldberg, Jim Cummings, Cheech Marin, Julie Kavner, Jerry Stiller, Andy Dick, Moira Kelly, and James Earl Jones, as well as Alfre Woodard reprising her role from the realistic remake. It features posthumous film performances by Robert Guillaume, who died in October 2017 and Suzanne Pleshette, who died in January 2008, and the film is dedicated to their memories. This was also Stiller's last film appearance before the latter's passing in May 2020.
The Lion King Reborn retells the story of Simba (Swahili for "lion"), a young lion cub, who is to succeed his father, Mufasa, as King of the Pride Lands; however, after Simba's paternal uncle Scar murders Mufasa, Simba is manipulated into thinking he was responsible and flees into exile. Upon maturation living with two wastrels, Simba is given some valuable perspective from his childhood friend, Nala, and his shaman, Rafiki, before returning to challenge Scar to end his tyranny and take his place in the Circle of Life as the rightful King. The film later centers on Simba and Nala's daughter Kiara, who falls in love with Kovu, a male rogue lion from a banished pride that was once loyal to Scar. Separated by Simba's prejudice against the banished pride and a vindictive plot planned by Kovu's mother Zira, Kiara and Kovu struggle to unite their estranged prides and be together.
With the film co-produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios, it is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. Plans for an animated remake of The Lion King were confirmed in September 2016 following the success of Jon Favreau's The Jungle Book. Animation began in January 2017 at Walt Disney Animation Studios with a large cast consisting mostly of voice actors and actresses reprising their roles from the original films and television series. The production lasted until February 2018.
The film was released early on January 21, 2019 in Ukraine, July 4 in New York City, and July 19 in the United States, celebrating the 1994 film's 25th anniversary. The film received positive reviews for its direction, screenplay, voice acting (particularly Sabella and Lane), musical score, emotional weight, and Guillaume and Pleshette's tributes, with critics lauding its retelling of the film's franchise. It was nominated at the Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature, Best Original Song, Best Original Score, Best Film Editing, Best Original Screenplay and the Special Achievement, which were all won. The Lion King Revisited, produced by Disney+, is currently in development.
== Synopsis ==
An unprecedented cinematic journey twenty-five years in the making and spanning of The Lion King universe, Scar seeks to take the mantle as King after he murders his brother Mufasa in the wildebeest stampede, while Simba, Kiara, Nala, Kovu, Rafiki, Timon, and Pumbaa must stop Scar and his follower Zira altogether in a showdown before their onslaught of destruction puts an end to the Pride Lands.
== Plot ==
A meerkat named Timon, who is a social outcast of his colony outskirts, "the Pit of Shame", dreams for more in life than his colony's bleak existence hiding from predators, but his daydreaming leads to the near-death of his Uncle Max by a trio of hyenas named Shenzi, Banzai and Ed after having a very chaotic chase against the Meerkats. Timon leaves to find a better life after the incident that caused in his colony and meets a pig named Pumbaa, who suffers from demophobia-triggered flatulence problems. Although the two quickly form a bond and Pumbaa accompanies Timon as his acquaintance, they start living in a small oasis behind the landmark while King Mufasa and Queen Sarabi's newborn son Simba is presented to the crowded animals at a majestic place named Pride Rock.
Mufasa shows young Simba the Pride Lands and explains to him the responsibilities of kingship and the Circle of Life which connects all different kinds of living things. Meanwhile, Mufasa's younger and selfish brother Scar covets the throne and plots to eliminate Mufasa and Simba so he may become king. He and his henchmen of hyenas set a trap for his brother and nephew, luring Simba into a gorge and having the hyenas drive a large herd of wildebeest into a stampede that will trample him. Scar refuses to help Mufasa, instead sending him falling to his death, then convinces Simba that the tragedy was his own fault and advises him to flee the kingdom and never return. Scar tells the pride that Mufasa and Simba were killed in the stampede and steps forward as the new king. Meanwhile, Timon and Pumbaa finally settle in a huge luxurious green jungle. Sooner enough, they rescue Simba on a desert floor before they raise him under their philosophy of "Hakuna Matata" (meaning "no worries" in Swahili).
A year later, Simba rescues Timon and Pumbaa from a hungry young adult lioness, who turns out to be his best friend Nala. She and Simba reunite and fall in love, and she argues with him to return home, telling him the Pride Lands have become a drought-stricken wasteland under Scar's reign. Feeling guilty over his father's death, Simba refuses and storms away. He encounters Mufasa's adviser Rafiki, who says that Mufasa's spirit lives on in Simba, and he is visited by the ghost of his father in the night sky, who tells him he must take his rightful place as king. Realizing he can no longer run from his past, Simba decides to return home.
As Scar taunts Simba over his role in Mufasa's death, he backs his nephew to the edge of Pride Rock, where he reveals to Simba that he murdered Mufasa. Enraged, Simba pins Scar to the ground and forces him to reveal the truth to the rest of the pride. After Timon proposes that they all help Simba by getting rid of the hyenas, he, Pumbaa, Nala, Sarabi, Zazu, Rafiki, and the other lionesses fend off the hyenas, alongside Timon's Ma and Max, who are directed to construct a series of tunnels beneath the hyenas. When the tunnels are finished, Max knocks down the sticks, the cave-in commences, and the hyenas are ejected through the tunnels. Scar begs for mercy and attempts to blame the hyenas for his actions, but Simba spares his life and orders him to leave the Pride Lands forever. Scar suddenly attacks his nephew, but Simba manages to toss him from the top of Pride Rock. Scar survives the fall, but then gets eaten by his former henchmen of hyenas, because one overheard him betray them to Simba.
With his enemies gone, Simba takes over the kingship as the rains begin to fall, restoring life to the land; Timon takes his entire meerkat colony to live in predator-free environment to complete his "Hakuna Matata"; Nala gives birth to a newborn cub; and she is presented to the assembled animals. Rafiki paints an emblem of the cub on the trunk of his tree, but Mufasa's spirit ruffles the painting, making him discover another cub that's living in rogues known as the "Outlands" named Kovu.
A few weeks later, Kiara becomes annoyed with her father's overprotective parenting and enters the Outlands, where she meets Kovu. His mother Zira reminds Simba of how he exiled her and the other Outsiders, and reveals that Scar selected Kovu to be his successor despite not being his biological father. After returning to the Pride Lands, Simba lectures Kiara about the danger posed by the Outsiders, and reminds her they are part of each other. In the Outlands, Zira reminds Kovu that Simba killed Scar and exiled the lions who respect him. Kovu explains that he does not think it is so bad to have Kiara as a friend, but Zira realizes that she can use Kovu's friendship with Kiara to seek revenge on Simba.
Another year later, Kiara, now a young adult, begins her first solo hunt. As part of Zira's plan, Kovu's siblings Nuka and Vitani trap Kiara in a fire, allowing Kovu to rescue her. Simba is forced to accept Kovu's place since he rescued Kiara. Kovu contemplates attacking Simba as he was instructed to, but he teaches Kiara how to hunt instead and eventually realizes his feelings for her. Kiara and Kovu stargaze where they talk about the Great Kings of the Past and Kovu wonders if there is a darkness in him like there was in Scar. That night, Simba allows Kovu to sleep inside Pride Rock with the rest of the pride, but because of this, Zira sets a trap for her son and Simba.
The next day, Kovu once again tries to reveal his mission to Kiara, but Simba takes him around the Pride Lands and tells him Scar's story. The Outsiders then ambush Simba, resulting in Nuka's death from a log pile and Simba's escape. Enraged, Zira scratches Kovu for his brother's death, causing him to turn against her. Kovu returns to Pride Rock to asks Simba for his forgiveness, but is exiled. Kiara makes Simba realize that he is acting irrationally, and flees to find Kovu. The two lions later find each other and profess their love. Realizing that they must reunite the two prides, Kiara and Kovu return to the Pride Lands and convince them to stop fighting. When Zira attempts to kill Simba, Kiara intervenes and Zira vocally refuses Kiara's help, letting go of her own accord with a twisted smile upon her face. With his enemy gone, Simba accepts Kovu and the Outsiders back into the Pride Lands.
== Voice cast ==
:Main article: List of The Lion King characters on Wikipedia
The Lion King Reborn features most of the voice cast reprising their roles from the original films, respectively through recycled voice clips with some new ones. Alfre Woodard also returns to voice Sarabi from the 2019 remake, replacing the late Madge Sinclair from 1994, via consisting most of Sinclair's dialogues.
Bob Baxter, Ian Harrowell, and Lianne Hughes, among others return to supervise animation for their characters that appear in the film.
* Matthew Broderick as SimbaAn African lion, son of Mufasa and Sarabi, who is the crown prince of the Pride Lands. Simba later becomes the king of the Pride Lands, Nala's husband, and Kiara's overprotective father. Joseph Williams and Cam Clarke provide the character's singing voice. Co-director Roger Allers explained that Simba "senses this greater threat approaching, so he is doing everything in his ability to keep the Pride Lands safe".
** Jonathan Taylor Thomas as young Simba (archive recordings). Evan Saucedo and Jason Weaver provide the cub's singing voice.
* Ernie Sabella as PumbaaSabella also co-narrates the opening prologue, although he was uncredited.A naïve, but hearten common warthog, who becomes Timon's symbiotic partner and one of Simba's adoptive parents. Though slow-witted, Pumbaa is very empathetic and willing to trust and befriend anyone. He is also claustrophobic and passes gas in crowds. Sabella said "[a]s an actor, I [...] don’t think I'm right for every role — there are a lot of roles I don't think I'm right for even in movies I'm making — but Pumbaa was one I knew I could do well." During the battle of Pride Rock, Pumbaa's war cry to Banzai, "They call me Mister Pig!", is a reference to the scene in the 1967 film In the Heat of the Night where Sidney Pointier says, "They call me Mister Tibbs!". For an another reference to classic cinema, Pumbaa's line "Are you talking to me?!" refers to the 1976 film Taxi Driver.
* Jeremy Irons as ScarMufasa's treacherous younger brother, Simba's uncle and Kiara's granduncle, who overtakes the throne and seeks to take the mantle of king after his brother's death. According to the directors, "[a] patronizing quality" was vital to Scar's "psychologically possessed" and "brutalized" role in the film. Scar's line "You have no idea..." is a reference to the 1990 film Reversal of Fortune. For another, before Scar gets back-kicked by Simba and eaten by his former hyena clan, he says "Good night, sweet prince." This refers to one of William Shakespeare's works, Hamlet. John Vickery, who played the character on the 1997 Broadway production, formerly auditioned to provide Scar's singing voice, but was shortly replaced by Irons afterwards. Jim Cummings, who has voiced the villain in Simba's Pride and the Kingdom Hearts series, served as Irons' "Scar substitute".
* Alfre Woodard as SarabiThe Queen of Pride Rock, who is the leader of the lioness hunting party, Mufasa's devoted mate, and Simba's mother. Woodard reprises her role from the 2019 live-action/CGI remake of the 1994 animated film. According to casting director Jamie Thomason, Sarabi's lines provided by the late Madge Sinclair remain the same from the original film. According to The Lion Guard executive producer, Ford Riley, Sarabi did not appear in any sequels due to the death of Sinclair. This tradition was upheld in TLG. However, it is confirmed that Sarabi was not part of Kiara's first hunt due to resting after Scar knocked her to the ground during the battle of Pride Rock.https://lionking.fandom.com/wiki/File:Sarabi_TLG.png Angela Bassett was a former audition to be the character's new voice actress after Minkoff and Favreau saw her performance as Queen Ramonda in the 2018 Marvel Studios film Black Panther.
* Nathan Lane as TimonLane also narrates the opening prologue, although he was uncredited.A comedic meerkat, who becomes Pumbaa's best friend and one of Simba's adoptive parents. Though somewhat selfish, arrogant, and withdrawn, Timon shows courageous loyalty towards his friends. Lane said that Timon "[is] such a great role that allows you to do so much. But [he has] learned that the bigger the project and the bigger the names that you’re working with, the more you have to ignore it. If you get to the soundstage and you’re thinking, ‘What a full-nutty-circle-of-life moment! Billy Eichner did it newly! Moira Kelly's in this one!’, then you’re paralyzed creatively. You just have to put that out of your head in order to get the job done."
* Rowan Atkinson as ZazuA red-billed hornbill, who serves as the lion king's majordomo (or "Mufasa's little stooge", as Shenzi calls him). Jeff Bennett, who has voiced Zazu in The Lion Guard, provides the character's singing voice. Edward Hibbert, who has voiced the character in Simba's Pride and The Lion King 1½, served as Atkinson's "Zazu substitute".
* Meredith Scott Lynn as VitaniZira's aggressive and spunky daughter, and Nuka and Kovu's sister. Lynn described her role in the film as more maternal than previously, as she co-leads the Outsiders. Lynn replaces Jennifer Lien when she had run-ins which resulted in her being charged with a number of offences that led the court ordering her to undergo mental health treatment.
** Lacey Chabert as young Vitani. Chabert has returned to voice her character since 20 years after the release of Simba's Pride. Crysta Macalush Winton provides her singing voice.
* Jason Marsden as KovuA lion living in the Outlands, who is Zira's son, Nuka and Vitani's younger brother, and the chosen successor of Scar to become king of the Pride Lands instead of Simba. Kenny Lattimore provides adult Kovu's singing voice.
** Ryan O'Donohue as young Kovu (archive recordings)
* Neve Campbell as KiaraA lioness, the daughter of Simba and Nala, and the princess of the Pride Lands, who grows up to become its future queen. Liz Callaway provides adult Kiara's singing voice.
** Michelle Horn as young Kiara (archive recordings). Charity Sanoy provides the cub's singing voice.
* Whoopi Goldberg as ShenziThe sassy and short-tempered female leader of her hyena clan. Shenzi's full name "Shenzi Marie Predatora Veldetta Jacquelina Hyena" is revealed by Timon when he proposes to her.
* Jim CummingsCummings also voiced a marmot that works for Zazu, although he was uncredited. as EdAn unhinged hysterical hyena, who laughs a lot and is Scar's henchman.
* Julie Kavner as Timon's MotherTimon's caring mother. She is overly protective and attached to her son, often trying to get him accepted amongst the colony, but never succeeding.
* Jerry Stiller as Uncle MaxTimon's paranoid, eccentric but deep down kind-hearted uncle. He initially doubts Timon's ability, but warms up to him at the film's climax.
* Cheech Marin as BanzaiAn aggressive and hot-headed Mexican-accent hyena prone to complaining and acting on impulse, who is Scar's henchman.
* Andy Dick as NukaZira's son, Vitani and Kovu's older brother and the oldest male of Zira's family.
* Moira Kelly as NalaA lioness, who is Simba's best friend and later his future love-interest, queen of the Pride Lands, and Kiara's mother. Executive producer Jon Favreau felt that "part of [her joining the film] is that she’s got young kids, part of it is that it’s a story that feels good for this phase of her life and her career, and Kelly really likes Beyoncé Knowles-Carter's role very much. And then, of course, there are these wonderful musical numbers that she can be involved with, and… she really lives up to her reputation as far as the beauty of her voice and talent." Heather Headley, who returns from the Broadway production, provides Nala's singing voice.
** Niketa Calame-Harris as young Nala. Harris has returned to voice young Nala after 25 years since 1994. Laura Williams provides the cub's singing voice.
* James Earl Jones as MufasaSimba's father, and King of the Pride Lands, as the film begins. According to Favreau, Jones' lines remain mostly the same from the original film.
* Robert Guillaume as RafikiA wise mandrill, who teaches Timon Hakuna Matata, as well as giving him faith in himself to do what he dreams of doing. Rafiki also serves as the shaman of the lion king to present newborn cubs of the King and Queen to the animals of the Pride Lands. Khary Payton formerly auditioned to voice Rafiki, reprising his role from The Lion Guard. This marks Guillaume's last voice role in film after his death on October 24, 2017. John Kani, who voices Rafiki in the 2019 live-action version, served as Guillaume's "Rafiki substitute".
* Suzanne Pleshette as ZiraThe leader of the Outsiders, Scar's most loyal follower and Nuka, Vitani, and Kovu's widowed mother. Nika Futterman formerly auditioned to voice Zira, returning from The Lion Guard. This marks Pleshette's final voice role after her death on January 19, 2008.
Zoe Leader reprises the voice of Sarafina, Nala's mother; this marks Leader's last voice role in a film before her death from cancer on March 3, 2015. S. Scott Bullock, Jeff Bennett, and Jason Rudofsky voice Fred, Iron Joe, and Flinchy, respectively, Timon's neighbors in his colony. Bullock reprises his role from the television series The Lion King's Timon & Pumbaa, marking the first time a character introduced in a Disney television series appears in a Disney film. An uncredited actor provides the voice of Timon's father, who is now renamed as "Fearless Buzz".
Additionally, Tress MacNeille and Jeff Bennett were set to reprise their voice roles as Tatiana, the princess of Timon's meerkat colony, and the Duke, Tatiana's father from The Lion King's Timon & Pumbaa, but this scene did not make the theatrical cut of the film.
== Production ==
=== Development ===
Shortly after the success of the 2016 live-action remake of The Jungle Book, the film's director Jon Favreau announced there would a special edition themed "director's cut" of the 1994 film. It was originally planned to be released in summer of 2017, known as The Lion King: The Special Edition Cut. Favreau, Rob Minkoff, Don Hahn and Ford Riley, the executive producer of The Lion Guard, came on board to tie the original films and television series together on a computer program known as Movie Maker, later Filmora. However, in April 2018, the film's title would then be changed to The Lion King: The King Has Returned. On May, the film's title was changed again to its title The Lion King: Return of the King. On June 14, the title was once changed again to its official title The Lion King Reborn. On July 5th, Minkoff stated that the film would be "darker" and more "serious yet epic", "emotional", "action-packed", "shocking", "deeper" and "down to Earth" in tone than from previous Lion King adaptations in the franchise.
The film includes the 1994 original release of The Lion King, its 1998 sequel The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, and its 2004 midquel/prequel The Lion King 1½.
Roger Allers, who previously directed the 1994 film, had a short time with Disney as this film's co-director, but then left during production due to him spending more time with his family when the film is furthermore being produced as the time passes by.
=== Casting ===
In mid-February 2017, Matthew Broderick and James Earl Jones were cast as Simba and Mufasa, with the duo reprising their roles from the 1994 film.
In April 2017, Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella were in talks to reprising their roles as Timon and Pumbaa respectively. In July 2017, Rowan Atkinson was cast to return as Zazu. In August 2017, Julie Kavner was cast to reprise her role as Timon's Ma with Jerry Stiller and Robert Guillaume in talks to return as Uncle Max and Rafiki. Before his death in October 2017, Guillaume finished recording his character's lines.
In mid-February 2018, Jeremy Irons, Cheech Marin, Whoopi Goldberg, Jim Cummings, Jason Marsden, Andy Dick, and Lacey Chabert were all cast to reprise the voices of Scar, Banzai, Shenzi, Ed, Kovu, Nuka, and young Vitani from the 1994 film and Simba's Pride.
Earlier on February 2017, it was announced that Moira Kelly was Minkoff's top choice for the role of Nala and that the director and studio would be willing to do whatever it took to accommodate her busy schedule on Girl in the Bunker. Later on June 2018, Niketa Calame-Harris was confirmed to return as young Nala after 25 years. Archive recordings of the late Guillaume and Suzanne Pleshette, as well as Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Michelle Horn, and Ryan O'Donohue as Rafiki, Zira, young Simba, Kiara, and Kovu will be included respectively.
On 20 October 2018, Alfre Woodard was announced to be the voice of Sarabi, returning from her time on the 2019 live-action/CGI remake that would be released next year.
In March 2019, Neve Campbell would voice adult Kiara once again from The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, and Moira Kelly's role as Nala was confirmed in an official announcement.
On 26 May 2019, an unofficial announcement from Ford Riley confirmed that Jason Rudofsky and Jeff Bennett were announced to return as Flinchy and Iron Joe from The Lion King 1½.
=== Production ===
Production on the film commenced in the summer of 2017 in Los Angeles, California, using "a lot of virtual-reality tools" per Visual Effects Supervisor Rob Legato.
It has been confirmed that the film will have a runtime of 3 hours and 24 minutes long.
=== Post-production ===
The film dedicates to the memories of Pleshette and Guillaume. This also dedicates the memories of Zoe Leader, Sarafina's voice actress; Mark Livolsi, the 2019 remake's film editor; Madge Sinclair, Sarabi's original actress; and British actor W. Morgan Sheppard, Captain Bloodbeard's voice actor in The Lion King's Timon & Pumbaa.
On 16 April 2019, the official theatrical poster was released. The poster, featuring 13 characters, had 12 of those actors listed on the top-billing, with Meredith Scott Lynn excluded. Despite Lynn's name appearing in the poster's bottom billing block along with Whoopi Goldberg, Cheech Marin, Jim Cummings, Julie Kavner, Jerry Stiller, and Andy Dick (none of whom were featured on the poster), her exclusion in the top billing prompted criticism from fans. However, later in the day Walt Disney Pictures released an updated poster with Lynn's name in the top billing.
Special thanks for the film includes Christopher Ruiz, DreamWorks Pictures' former CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg, film companies Sparx Animation Studios, Fairview Entertainment, and Pixar Animation Studios.
=== Visual effects ===
The visual effects are provided by the Moving Picture Company, as well as supervised by Elliot Newman, Robert Legato and Adam Valdez.
== Music ==
* See also: The Lion King Reborn/Soundtrack
On November 1, 2017, it was announced that Hans Zimmer would return to write the film's score, having previously scored the 1994 animated version. 27 days later, it was reported that Elton John had signed onto the project to rework his musical compositions shortly before his retirement. The film features songs from previous Lion King films, including "Digga Tunnah", "That's All I Need" (which is now under the sister name of "Meerkat Rhapsody"), "Circle of Life", "I Just Can't Wait to be King", "Be Prepared", "Hakuna Matata", "Can You Feel the Love Tonight", "Busa", "The Hawaiian War Chant", "He Lives in You", "We Are One", "My Lullaby", "Upendi", "Not One of Us", "Love Will Find a Way", and as well as "The Morning Report" from the Broadway production, The Good, The Bad and the Ugly original theme song composed by Ennio Morricone, "Sunrise, Sunset" from the musical Fiddler on the Roof, and the Peter Gunn theme song.
New tracks includes two Swahili songs written by Tim Rice: "Rafiki Huomboleza", which is heard when Rafiki smears the painting of Simba, and an instrumental theme for "Lullaby ya Sarabi", which is heard as Sarabi cleans her cub. Also, Zazu briefly murmurs "Nobody Knows" sung by Louis Daniel Armstrong, "It's a Small World (After All)" written by the Sherman Brothers, and Fred Heatherton's "I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts". Timon and Pumbaa also sing to themselves "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" by The Tokens while they search for a beetle to continue Bug Football with Simba. Aram Khachaturian's "Sabre Dance" and Jacques Offenbach's "Cancan" play while Timon and Pumbaa distract Shenzi's clan by performing circus tricks.
Christopher Willis, who composes the score for Mickey Mouse and The Lion Guard, served as one of Hans Zimmer's music arrangers for the "This Land" theme. Seth Rogen and Billy Eichner, who provide the voices of Pumbaa and Timon in the live-action remake, and Rob Lowe, who voices Simba in The Lion Guard, served as background choruses during the "Hakuna Matata" segment.
== Marketing ==
On December 25, the official teaser trailer was released. A day later, a teaser trailer reaction promoted, featuring Simba, Timon, Pumbaa, and Bunga from The Lion Guard watching on their Blu-Ray 3D set.
On April 1, an "April Fools' Day" tease was released, featuring Timon and Pumbaa fixing a slight error at the end of the trailer.
On June 13, two days before the 1994 film's 25th anniversary, the official trailer was released in sponsor of IMAX.
== Reception ==
=== Critical response ===
The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, reported an approval rating of 96%, based on 135 reviews, with an average rating of 8.31/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Emotionally stirring, funny, richly drawn, touched with fantasy music, beautifully animated, and the retelling story within the franchise, The Lion King Reborn stands tall within Disney and Rob Minkoff's pantheon of classic family films." On Metacritic, the film has a score of 73 out of 100, based on 82 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film a rare average grade of "A+" on an A+ to F scale, while those at PostTalk give it 5 out of 5 stars and an 84% "definite recommend".
=== Accolades ===
Award 	Date of ceremony 	Category 	Recipient(s) 	Result
Academy Awards 	2019 	Best Animated Feature Film 	The Lion King Reborn 	
Academy Awards 	2019 	Best Film Editing 	Mark Livolsi, Adam Gerstel, and Ivan Bilancio 	
Academy Awards 	2019 	Best Original Score 	Hans Zimmer 	
Academy Awards 	2019 	Best Original Song 	Elton John (for "Can You Feel the Love Tonight")	
Academy Awards 	2019 	Best Original Screenplay 	Jeff Nathanson 	
Academy Awards 	2019 	Academy Special Achievement Award 	John Lasseter 	
Annie Awards 	2019 	Outstanding Character Animation - Animation	Bob Baxter, Ian Harrowell, and Lianne Hughes 	
Annie Awards 	2019 	Best Animated Feature 	The Lion King Reborn 	
Annie Awards 	2019 	Outstanding Music 	Hans Zimmer 	
Annie Awards 	2019 	Outstanding Storyboarding 	Bradley Raymond 	
Annie Awards 	2019 	Outstanding Voice Acting 	Jeremy Irons 	
Annie Awards 	2019 	Outstanding Directing 	Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff 	
People's Choice Awards	November 10, 2019	Movie of 2019 	The Lion King Reborn 	
People's Choice Awards	November 10, 2019	Family Movie of 2019 	The Lion King Reborn 	
People's Choice Awards	November 10, 2019	Animated Movie Star of 2019 	Moira Kelly 	
MTV Movie Awards 	2019 	Favorite Villain 	Jeremy Irons (for Scar) 	
 	 	 	Jeremy Irons (for Scar) 	
== Release ==
The Lion King Reborn was originally going to be released in August 2017. One year later, the directors confirmed that the film's production would be moved up and was set to be released in June 15, 2019 in honor to celebrate the 1994 film's 25th anniversary, and finally July 19 where the 2019 remake will be released on that day also.
On January 21, 2019, the film premiered early in Ukraine.
=== Home media ===
The Lion King Reborn was released digitally on October 1, 2019 and on Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray and DVD on October 22, 2019. It is one of the first new Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures-distributed films not to stream on Netflix, after Disney decided to let their licensing deal with Netflix expire, and is intended to stream exclusively on Disney+ alongside the 2019 remake, Toy Story 4, Frozen 2, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Captain Marvel, and Avengers: Endgame.
== Rating ==
The Lion King Reborn was originally going to be rated G by the MPAA, and it would have been the first family-friendly title with a G rating in a long time. However, the film was later re-rated PG likely due to the serious yet deeper tone and mild crude humor, including Pumbaa's flatulence problems throughout the storyline.
== Novelization ==
* Main article: The Lion King: Crucible
A spin-off canon novel named The Lion King: Crucible will be released soon.
== Art book ==
In order to tradition for each and every animated Disney production, a new book will be released featuring concept arts, biographies of the cast and features for the film's purpose.
== Future ==
=== Reboot ===
* Main article: The Lion King Revisited
In July 2019, Disney confirmed that The Lion King Reborn would premiere on Disney+ with two hours of new footage not included in the original theatrical release, including a Robert Guillaume and Suzanne Pleshette tribute, and an alternate post-credits ending, along with a new poster given out, under the name "THE LION KING REVISITED". The filmmakers also gave a good reason for not using the ending scene from Simba's Pride, since Simba and Nala's cub present in the original Lion King ending has been retconned to Kion. Max Charles, Joshua Rush, Diamond White, Dusan Brown, Atticus Shaffer, Bryana Salaz, Landry Bender and Maia Mitchell reprise the voices of Kion, Bunga, Fuli, Beshte, Ono, Anga, Makini and Jasiri from The Lion Guard, respectively.
=== Spin-offs ===
* Main articles: Over the Pride Lands Wall and Miraculous Lion King
There is a spin-off television series titled Over the Pride Lands Wall. This retells of Cartoon Network's Emmy Award winning miniseries Over the Garden Wall, set in the Lion King world. As The Lion King Reborn celebrates the franchise's 25th anniversary, this television series will be airing on its 5th anniversary from November 3-7.
An another spin-off series titled Miraculous Lion King will premiere in French on 2020 made by Disney Television Animation and Zagtoons it retells it in the world of The Lion King. It tells the Adventures of Marinette and Adrien, a cheetah and a leopard as they become superheroes Mkojo and Nyeusi Chui to stop the evil Hawkmoth and the spirit of Scar.
=== Ahead of the Disney Reborn Multiverse ===
Following the release of The Lion King Reborn, Walt Disney Animation Studios will release more compilation films based on several franchises. Associated company acts for their films will include Pixar Animation Studios, Lucasfilm Ltd., Marvel Studios, Studio Ghibli, The Jim Henson Company, Blue Sky Studios, and 20th Century Studios.
=== Attraction ===
* See also: The Lion King 4D Ride 
The Lion King 4D Ride is an upcoming 4D dark ride at Disneyland Park.
== Videos ==
* Main article: The Lion King Reborn/Clips
=== Trailers ===
File:The_Lion_King_Reborn_Official_Teaser_Trailer
File:The_Lion_King_Reborn_Teaser_Trailer_Reaction
File:The_Lion_King_Reborn_Official_Trailer_Experience_it_in_IMAX®
=== TV Spots ===
File:The_Lion_King_Reborn_-_"It_Is_Time"_TV_Spot
File:The_Lion_King_Reborn_-_"April_Fools%27_Day"
=== Full Movie ===
File:The_Lion_King_Reborn_-_Original_Release_(*READ_DESCRIPTION_BELOW*)
== Trivia ==
* Rob Minkoff directed two of the three Stuart Little films of the trilogy and the 2003 reboot of The Haunted Mansion.
* Elton John has written songs for the British-American Computer animated fantasy romantic comedy film Gnomeo & Juliet.
** Tim Rice has also wrote lyrics for the songs on the 1991 Broadway performance of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, which later became a 1999 direct-to-video film released by Universal Pictures.
* The film marks as the unofficial fourth film in the Lion King franchise that is set in the original continuity.
* Alfre Woodard had cameos as Miriam Sharpe in the 2016 film Captain America: Civil War and Mariah Dillard in the Netflix series Luke Cage, both media that are part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
** Angela Bassett, who was originally set to voice Sarabi in the film, also portrayed Queen Ramonda in the 2018 film Black Panther.
* James Corden auditioned a role for the film as "Mongofu" (meaning "Mongoose" in Swahili) prior to getting his role scrapped out in the final product.
* Cheech Marin has provided the voices of Ramone in the Cars franchise; Little Pig #2 in Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil; Tito the chihuahua in Oliver & Company; a corrections officer in Coco; and Manuel in Beverly Hills Chihuahua.
** Marin played Ignacio, an entertainer in DreamWorks Pictures' Paulie from 1998.
* Jonathan Taylor Thomas has appeared as Randy Taylor on the hit 1990s ABC television sitcom Home Improvement, starring Tim Allen.
** Since Thomas and Allen have voiced both young Simba and Buzz Lightyear from the Toy Story franchise, the characters made a few indirect cameos on the show. In a blooper of "Say Goodnight, Gracie", Tim Taylor is seen sorting through his niece's toys and picks up a Buzz action figure. He then proceeds to argue with the toy as to who is Buzz Lightyear (a reference to "I am Buzz Lightyear!" from Toy Story 2). Similarly, in "I was a Teenage Taylor", Randy was giving candy to trick-or-treaters for Halloween. Ironically, he gave more candy to the kid dressed as Simba than the one dressed as Buzz Lightyear. In the final version of "Say Goodnight, Gracie", Tim says, "Oh, sorry, I've never been a lion cub before.", in which Randy replies, "Well, I have. Yeah, I gotta tell you, it's a tough gig. Everyone expects you to be king!". Trivially, Thomas has provided young Simba's voice back in 1994. Also, Nala and Sarabi cameo as stuffed animals in Gracie's collection of toys.
*** Also, in 1995's Toy Story, when Andy's younger sister Molly looks in her sideview mirror to see Buzz and Woody riding on the RC Car weaving side-to-side like a water skier, "Hakuna Matata" is heard briefly playing inside of the Davis family's van.
* Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane previously worked together on the Broadway production of The Producers, which turned out to be a film in 2005.
** Broderick has also played Inspector Gadget in Disney's 1999 film of the same name.
* Andy Dick has hosted his own show; voiced Boingo in the Hoodwinked! series; and voiced Dylan in The Reef series, which were spin-offs of Pixar Animation Studios' Finding Nemo, DreamWorks Animation/Universal's Shark Tale and Walt Disney's The Little Mermaid.
** Dick also portrayed Kramer in Disney's 1999 film Inspector Gadget and made two cameos in the Zoolander series.
* Ernie Sabella sang "Hakuna Matata" at the 1995 Oscars alongside comedian David Alan Grier.
** Sabella also had a cameo as Maury, the cat pound owner, in Mouse Hunt.
** Grier also voiced Red in Stuart Little and Moss the Troll in Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil.
*** Lane is known for voicing the Little Family's house cat Snowbell; Albert Goldman in The Birdcage; Roy Cohn in the play production of Angels in America; and portrayed Ernie Smuntz, the main protagonist in Mouse Hunt.
* Jason Marsden and Lacey Chabert have voiced Kade Burns, Salvage, and Dani Burns in Discovery Inc./Hasbro's Transformers: Rescue Bots.
** Marsden also currently voices Max Goof following the release of 1995's A Goofy Movie.
* James Earl Jones previously voiced Darth Vader in the Star Wars franchise.
** Jones and the late Robert Guillaume previously appeared in The Meteor Man.
* Jim Cummings previously voiced Hondo Ohnaka in the Cartoon Network/Disney+/Netflix CGI Military Science fiction television series Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
** James Earl Jones and Cummings later reprised their roles as Vader and Ohnaka in the Disney XD series Star Wars Rebels.
*** Cummings has also done voices for Pooh Bear and Tigger in the Winnie the Pooh franchise; Pete in the Mickey Mouse & Friends franchise (in addition to the Kingdom Hearts franchise); Razoul and Farouk in the Aladdin franchise; Nessus the River Centaur, Tall Thebian, Elderly Thebian and Lava Titan in Hercules; Fat Cat and Monterey Jack in Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers; Steele in Balto; Chief Powhatan and Kekata in Pocahontas; Marvel Comics' villain Thanos in The Super Hero Squad Show; Hernán Cortés in The Road to El Dorado; the Captain of Guards in Shrek; Tantor in Tarzan and Jane; Kaa in The Jungle Book 2; Featherstone in Gnomeo & Juliet; and multiple characters in the Evangelical Christian video series of Adventures in Odyssey, including Sheriff Walter and Vern.
**** Cummings also provided additional voices in the Timon and Pumbaa series, including Smoulder, Baby Ostrich, Simon's father, Lester, Uncle Boaris, Bruce, Boudreaux, Cisco Pig, Cheetato, and even Timon and Pumbaa as adults.
***** Jonathan Taylor Thomas also voiced Dylan Taylor, the main protagonist in the new video series of Adventures in Odyssey, starting with "Escape from the Forbidden Matrix" and concluding with "Race to Freedom".
* Cam Clarke provided the voice of Michelangelo in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise; Bula, Multo, Saturn, Pluto, various roles in Anime and Manga titles and the announcer in The Zula Patrol as well as Robert the Terrible, the main antagonist in The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: A VeggieTales Movie.
** Clarke replaced Matthew Broderick as the voice of Simba in the Timon and Pumbaa television series in addition to other forms of media in The Lion King franchise.
* Julie Kavner currently voices Marge Simpson in The Simpsons. Meanwhile, Jones' characters Mufasa, Darth Vader and himself appear in the episode Round Springfield, albeit they were instead voiced by Harry Shearer.
** Shearer also voiced Dog announcer in 2005's Chicken Little.
* Jerry Stiller previously voiced Harvey in Planes: Fire & Rescue alongside his late wife Anne Meara as Winnie.
** Stiller and Nathan Lane previously voiced Pretty Boy and Spot Helperman in the television series Teacher's Pet and its 2004 film, which is the series' finale.
*** Stiller has portrayed Frank Costanza for his later appearances in Seinfeld, replacing John Randolph.
* Jeremy Irons has portrayed DC Comics character Alfred Pennyworth in the DC Extended Universe films Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League.
* Whoopi Goldberg portrayed Guinan in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Odessa Cotter in The Long Walk Home.
** Goldberg currently hosts the show The View.
*** Goldberg also voiced Stretch the octopus in Disney / Pixar's Toy Story 3 and Himalayan cat Miss Mittens in Snow Buddies, the seventh installment of the Air Bud franchise.
* This marks as one of the final films executive produced by former Pixar director John Lasseter before he is scheduled to leave Disney on 22 November 2019, concluding with Frozen 2.
* The roaring sound effect of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's logo mascot, Leo the Lion, is used for the growling effects of the lionesses.
* Uncle Boaris from the Timon and Pumbaa television series is briefly mentioned by his nephew when he whips up his uncle's bug dishes.
* During the musical number of "Hakuna Matata" in the film, an impala, a bat-eared fox, a pigeon, a galago, a klipspringer, an elephant shrew, a guinea fowl, and numerous yellow-billed oxpeckers appear as neighbors of Simba, Timon, and Pumbaa. This gives tributes to Amy Sedaris, Chance the Rapper, and Josh McCrary, since the trio voiced these unnamed animals in the computer animated remake.
** Pigeons make their debut in the Lion King universe.
** The models of Laini, her troop, a flock of yellow billed-oxpeckers, and an unnamed klipspringer from The Lion Guard were used for the neighboring animals.
* Jeff Bennett provided the voices of Autobot Prowl and Decepticon Soundwave from the Cartoon Network/Hasbro series Transformers: Animated.
* S. Scott Bullock has voiced a glowworm in 2006's The Ant Bully.
== Differences between the original films ==
=== The Lion King ===
* During the wildebeest stampede scene, not just only having Simba as a cub being involved, but Timon and Pumbaa also show up in this event.
* In the original theatrical release of the 1994 film, in one part of the song "Hakuna Matata", Pumbaa almost said, "Ev'ry time that I... (farted)," but Timon cuts him off and warns, "Hey, Pumbaa! Not in front of the kids!", referencing the audience. The word "Hey" and the letter "s" were removed due to the "breaking the fourth wall" device, which now refers to Simba instead of the viewers (particularly the younger ones) as they're the ones who are watching the film.
=== The Lion King II: Simba's Pride ===
* From Stuart Little 2, Snowbell's line "No offense" is used for Timon's alternate line to keep a watch on Kiara, "No offense Pumbaa."
* Kovu says, "Look out!" to Kiara instead of her to him during their crocodile attack.
* At the end of "Upendi", several lines of Rafiki, Kiara, and Kovu repeating "In Upendi" were added in.
* Nuka's death in a deleted extended scene was reused and as well as Zira's.
=== The Lion King 1½ ===
* Fearless Buzz's personality was used for Timon's father from one of the deleted concepts in the direct-to-video sequence.
* Timon's cracking rival Fred from The Lion King's Timon and Pumbaa makes a brief cameo during the opening scene at the Pit of Shame.
== Tropes ==
* Main article: The Lion King Reborn/Tropes
== Transcript ==
* See also: The Lion King Reborn/Transcript
== Credits ==
* Main article: The Lion King Reborn/Credits
== Gallery ==
* Main article: The Lion King Reborn/Gallery
File:The lion king reborn september 2018 logo.png
the%20lion%20king%20reborn%20november%202018%20teaser%20poster.png
File:The_lion_king_reborn_simba_teaser_poster.png
File:The_lion_king_reborn_timon_and_pumbaa_teaser_poster.png
File:The_lion_king_reborn_12%3D31%3D18_promo_wallpaper.png
== Poll ==
<poll>
Do You Think The Lion King Reborn is a great idea?
Yes
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</poll>
== Hashtags ==
* thelionkinghasreturned
* thelionkingreborn
== References ==
== See also ==
*Disney Reborn Multiverse
*WindowsMyers2018
== External links ==
* The Lion King Reborn on The Lion King Fanon Wikia
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