The Lion King

The Lion King is a 1994 American animated musical drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It's the 32nd Disney animated feature film, and the fifth animated feature film produced during the period known as the Disney Renaissance. The Lion King was directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff, produced by Don Hahn, and has the screenplay credited to Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, and Linda Woolverton. It's the original five songs were written by composer Elton John and lyricist Tim Rice, with the score by Hans Zimmer. This film features the ensemble voice cast that includes Matthew Broderick, James Earl Jones, Jeremy Irons, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Moira Kelly, Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, Rowan Atkinson, Robert Guillaume, Madge Sinclair (in her last film role), Whoopi Goldberg, Cheech Marin, and Jim Cummings. The story takes place in the kingdom of lions in Africa and was influenced by Biblical stories of Joseph and Moses, and William Shakespeare's Hamlet.
The Lion King tells the story of Simba (Swahili for lion),[3] the young lion 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. After growing up in the jungle with the carefree outcasts Timon and Pumbaa, Simba receives 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.
Development of The Lion King began in 1988 during a meeting between Jeffrey Katzenberg, Roy E. Disney, and Peter Schneider while promoting Oliver & Company in Europe. Thomas M. Disch wrote the film treatment, and Woolverton developed the first scripts, while George Scribner was signed on as director, being later joined by Allers. Production began in 1991 concurrently with Pocahontas, which wound up attracting many of Disney's top animators. Some time after the staff traveled to Hell's Gate National Park in Kenya to research this film's setting and animals, Scribner left production, disagreeing with the decision to turn this film into the musical, and was replaced by Minkoff. When Hahn joined the project, he was dissatisfied with the script and the story was promptly rewritten. Nearly 20 minutes of animation sequences were produced at the Disney-MGM Studios theme park in Florida. Computer animation was also used in several scenes, most notably in the wildebeest stampede sequence.
The Lion King was released on June 15, 1994, to the positive reaction from critics, who praised this film for its music, story, themes, and animation. With the initial worldwide gross of $766 million, it finished its theatrical run as the highest-grossing release of 1994, the greatest animated movie and the second-highest-grossing film of all time. It is also the greatest traditionally animated movie of all time, as well as this best-selling film on home video, having sold over 30 million VHS tapes. On release, this film drew some controversy in Japan for its similarities to Osamu Tezuka's 1960s anime series Kimba the White Lion. The Lion King garnered two Academy Awards for its achievement in music and the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. This film has led to many derived works, such as a Broadway musical, two direct-to-video follow-ups—the sequel, The Lion King II: Simba's Pride (1998), and the midquel, The Lion King 1½ (2004); two television series, Timon and Pumbaa and The Lion Guard, the 3D re-release in 2011, and the photorealistic live-action remake in 2019, which also became the greatest animated movie in all time of it's release.
In 2016, this film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". It is, as of December 2019, the only Disney film to have been dubbed in Zulu, the only African language aside from Arabic to have been used for the feature-length Disney dub.
==Re-Release==
In celebration of the film's 30th anniversary, The Lion King returned to theaters for one day on July 12, 2024.
==Plot==
In the Pride Lands of Africa, the pride of lions rule over the kingdom from Pride Rock. King Mufasa's and Queen Sarabi's newborn son, Simba, is presented to the gathering animals by Rafiki the mandrill, the kingdom's shaman and advisor. Mufasa's younger brother, Scar, covets the throne and is angered by a birth of the new prince, as it means he is no longer first in line. This is the subject of an argument with first Mufasa's majordomo, the hornbill Zazu, and then Mufasa himself.
A few years later, Mufasa shows the young Simba the Pride Lands and explains to him the responsibilities of kingship and the "circle of life", which connects all living things. Meanwhile, Scar plots to eliminate Mufasa and Simba, so that he may become king. Scar tricks Simba and his best friend Nala, to whom Simba is betrothed, into exploring the elephant graveyard by tricking Zazu. The cubs are soon attacked by three spotted hyenas, Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed, who are in league with Scar, but Mufasa intervenes and rescues the cubs. Though upset with Simba, Mufasa forgives him and explains that the great kings of the past watch over them from the night sky, from which he will one day watch over Simba.
Scar sets the trap for his brother and nephew by luring Simba into the gorge, lying to him that he has the marvelous surprise for him and father and having the hyenas drive the large herd of wildebeest into the stampede that will trample him into the gorge. Scar himself does not interfere to save Simba, but instead informs Mufasa of Simba's peril, knowing that the king will rush to save his son. Mufasa saves Simba, but ends up hanging perilously from the gorge's edge. Scar refuses to help Mufasa, instead throwing him to his death. Scar then convinces Simba that the tragedy was Simba's own fault and advises him to leave the kingdom and never return. He orders the hyenas to kill the cub, but Simba escapes. Scar tells the pride that both Mufasa and Simba were killed in the stampede and steps forward as the new king, allowing his three hyena minions and the rest of their large pack to live in the Pride Lands.
Simba collapses in the desert and is attacked by vultures, but Timon and Pumbaa, the meerkat and warthog, who are fellow outcasts, chase away the vultures and bring him to the safety of the jungle. Simba grows up in the jungle with his two new friends, living the carefree life under the motto "hakuna matata" ("no worries" in Swahili). One day, Simba, now the young adult, rescues Timon and Pumbaa from the hungry lioness, who turns out to be Nala. She and Simba reunite and fall in love, and she urges him to return home, telling him that Pride Lands have become the drought-stricken wasteland under Scar's reign. Feeling guilty over his father's death, Simba refuses and storms off. He then encounters Rafiki, who tells him that Mufasa's spirit lives on in Simba. Simba is visited by the ghost of Mufasa in the night sky, who tells him that he must take his rightful place as king. Realizing that he can no longer run from his past, Simba decides to return to the Pride Lands.
Aided by his friends, Simba sneaks past the hyenas at Pride Rock and confronts Scar, who had just struck Sarabi. Scar taunts Simba over his role in Mufasa's death and backs him to the edge of the rock. Preparing to throw Simba to his doom, Scar whispers that he was the one who killed Mufasa, confident that the secret will die once and for all with Simba. However, this gives an enraged Simba the energy to climb back up and pin Scar to the ground, whereupon he forces him to reveal the truth to the rest of the pride. Timon, Pumbaa, Rafiki, Zazu, and the lionesses fend off the hyenas while Scar, attempting to escape, is cornered by Simba at the top of Pride Rock. Scar begs for mercy and attempts to blame the hyenas for his actions, but Simba refuses to believe him, knowing that everything he ever told him was a lie. Simba spares his life, but orders him to leave the Pride Lands forever. Scar refuses and attacks his nephew, but Simba manages to toss him from the top of the rock after a brief fight. Scar survives the fall but is attacked and killed by the hyenas, who overheard his attempt to betray them. Afterward, Simba takes over the kingship as rain begins to fall. He also makes Nala his queen.
Later, with Pride Rock restored to its usual state, Rafiki presents Simba and Nala's newborn cub to the other animals, continuing the circle of life.
==Cast==
:Main article: List of The Lion King characters
*Matthew Broderick as Simba, son of Mufasa and Sarabi, who grows up to become King of the Pride Lands. Rock singer Joseph Williams provided adult Simba's singing voice. Mark Henn and Ruben A. Aquino respectively served as the supervising animators for young and adult Simba.[5]
**Jonathan Taylor Thomas voiced young Simba, while Jason Weaver provided the cub's singing voice.[5]
*Jeremy Irons as Scar, Mufasa's younger brother and Simba's uncle, who takes the throne. Andreas Deja served as the supervising animator for Scar.[5]
*James Earl Jones as Mufasa, Simba's father, King of the Pride Lands as the film begins. Tony Fucile served as the supervising animator for Mufasa.[5] James Earl Jones reprised his role in the 2019 remake.
*Moira Kelly as Nala, Simba's best friend and later his wife and Queen of the Pride Lands. Sally Dworsky provided her singing voice. Aaron Blaise and Anthony de Rosa respectively served as the supervising animators for young and adult Nala.[5]
**Niketa Calame provided the voice of young Nala while Laura Williams provided her singing voice.[5]
*Nathan Lane as Timon, a wise-cracking and self-absorbed yet somewhat loyal meerkat who becomes one of Simba's best friends and adoptive parents. Michael Surrey served as his supervising animator.[5]
*Ernie Sabella as Pumbaa, a naïve warthog who suffers from flatulence and is Timon's best friend and also becomes one of Simba's best friends and adoptive parents. Tony Bancroft served as his supervising animator.[5]
*Robert Guillaume as Rafiki, an old baboon (with mandrill markings[6]) who serves as shaman of the Pride Lands and presents newborn cubs of the King and Queen to the animals of the Pride Lands. James Baxter served as the supervising animator for Rafiki.[5]
*Rowan Atkinson as Zazu, a hornbill who serves as the king's majordomo (or "Mufasa's little stooge", as Shenzi calls him). Ellen Woodbury served as the supervising animator for Zazu.[5]
*Madge Sinclair as Sarabi, Mufasa's mate, Simba's mother, and the leader of the lioness hunting party. Russ Edmonds served as the supervising animator for Sarabi.[5]
*The three spotted hyenas who serve Scar were animated by Alex Kupershmidt and David Burgess.[5]
**Whoopi Goldberg as Shenzi, the sassy and short-tempered female leader of the trio.
**Cheech Marin as Banzai, an aggressive and hot-headed hyena prone to complaining and acting on impulse.
**Jim Cummings as Ed, a dim-witted hyena who does not talk, only communicating through laughter. Cummings also voiced a mole that talks with Zazu and made a guest appearance as Scar in certain lines of "Be Prepared" after Irons blew his voice.[7]
*Zoe Leader as Sarafina, Nala's mother, who is shown briefly talking to Simba's mother, Sarabi.
== Danske Stemmer ==
* Peter Zhelder – Zazu
* Peter Jorde – Simba (Voksen)
* Amalie Ihle Alstrup – Nala (Barn)
* Jim Cummings – Ib
* Lone Kellermann – Shenzi
* Peter Belli – Rafiki
* Stig Hoffmeyer – Scar
* Aage Haugland – Mufasa
* Pernille Højgaard – Nala (Voksen)
* Henrik Koefoed – Timon
* Donald Andersen – Banzai
* Lars Thiesgaard – Pumba
* Kirsten Olesen – Sarabi
* Andreas Hviid – Simba (Barn)
* Ann Hjort – Sarafina
* Kjeld Nørgaard – Muldvarp
Choir
* Nicoline Møller
* Lise Nees
* Trine Dansgaard
* Pia Scharling
* Johnny Jørgensen
* Brian Grønbæk Jensen
* Søren Launbjerg
==Music==
Lyricist Tim Rice, who was working with composer Alan Menken on songs for Aladdin, was invited to write the songs, and accepted on the condition of finding a composing partner. As Menken was unavailable, the producers accepted Rice's suggestion of Elton John,[18] after Rice's invitation of ABBA fell through due to Benny Andersson being busy with the musical Kristina från Duvemåla.[10] John expressed an interest in writing "ultra-pop songs that kids would like; then adults can go and see those movies and get just as much pleasure out of them", mentioning a possible influence of The Jungle Book, where he felt the "music was so funny and appealed to kids and adults".[30]
John and Rice wrote five original songs for the film ("Circle of Life", "I Just Can't Wait to Be King", "Be Prepared", "Hakuna Matata" and "Can You Feel the Love Tonight"), with John's performance of "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" playing over the end credits.[31] The IMAX and DVD releases added another song, "The Morning Report", based on a song discarded during development that eventually featured in the live musical version of The Lion King.[32] The score was composed by Hans Zimmer, who was hired based on his work in two films in African settings, The Power of One and A World Apart,[15] and supplemented the score with traditional African music and choir elements arranged by Lebo M.[31] Zimmer's partners Mark Mancina and Jay Rifkin helped with arrangements and song production.[33]
The Lion King original motion picture soundtrack was released by Walt Disney Records on April 27, 1994. It was the fourth-best-selling album of the year on the Billboard 200 and the top-selling soundtrack.[34] It is the only soundtrack for an animated film to be certified Diamond (10× platinum) by the Recording Industry Association of America. Zimmer's complete instrumental score for the film was never originally given a full release, until the soundtrack's commemorative 20th anniversary re-release in 2014.[35] The Lion King also inspired the 1995 release Rhythm of the Pride Lands, with eight songs by Zimmer, Mancina, and Lebo M.[36]
The use of the song "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" in a scene with Timon and Pumbaa led to disputes between Disney and the family of South African Solomon Linda, who composed the song (originally titled "Mbube") in 1939. In July 2004, Linda's family filed suit, seeking $1.6 million in royalties from Disney. In February 2006, Linda's heirs reached a legal settlement with Abilene Music, who held the worldwide rights and had licensed the song to Disney for an undisclosed amount of money.
==Release==
For The Lion Kings first film trailer, Disney opted to feature a single scene, the entire opening sequence with the song "Circle of Life". Buena Vista Pictures Distribution president Dick Cook said the decision was made for such an approach because "we were all so taken by the beauty and majesty of this piece that we felt like it was probably one of the best four minutes of film that we've seen", and Don Hahn added that "Circle of Life" worked as a trailer as it "came off so strong, and so good, and ended with such a bang". The trailer was released in November 1993, accompanying The Three Musketeers and Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit in theaters; by then, only a third of The Lion King had been completed.[38][39] Audience reaction was enthusiastic, causing Hahn to have some initial concerns as he became afraid of not living up to the expectations raised by the preview.[38] Prior to the film's release, Disney did 11 test screenings.[40]
The Lion King had a limited release in North America on Wednesday, June 15, 1994, playing in only two theaters, El Capitan Theater in Los Angeles and Radio City Music Hall in New York City,[41] and featuring live shows with ticket prices up to $30.[42]
The wide release followed on June 24, 1994, in 2,550 screens. The digital surround sound of the film led many of those theaters to implement Dolby Laboratories' newest sound systems.[43]
Upon release, The Lion King was accompanied by an extensive marketing campaign which included tie-ins with Burger King, Mattel, Kodak, Nestlé and Payless ShoeSource, and various merchandise,[44] accounting 186 licensed products.[45][46] In 1994, Disney earned approximately $1 billion with products based on the film,[47] with $214 million for Lion King toys during Christmas 1994 alone.[48]
===Localization===
When the movie was first released in 1994, it numbered 28 versions overall in as many languages and dialects worldwide, including a special Zulu version made specifically for the movie in South Africa, where a Disney USA team went to find the Zulu voice-actors. This is not just the only Zulu dubbing ever made by Disney, but also the only one made in any African language, other than Arabic.[49][50] The Lion King marks also the first time a special dubbing is released in honor of a Disney movie background, but not the last: in 2016 the movie Moana received a special Tahitian-language version,[51] followed in 2017 by a Māori version,[52] and in 2018 by a Hawaiian version;[53] in 2019 the movie Frozen 2 was dubbed into Northern Sami, even though the first movie was not.[54][55]
==Reception==
===Box office===
The Lion King grossed $422.8 million in North America and $545.7 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $968.5 million.[2] It is currently the 46th highest-grossing film of all time,[73] the eleventh highest-grossing animated film of all time worldwide and the fourth highest-grossing film of Walt Disney Animation Studios (behind Frozen, Frozen 2 and Zootopia).[74] The film was also the highest-grossing motion picture of 1994 worldwide.[75] After its initial run, having earned $763.4 million,[76] it ranked as the second-highest-grossing film of all time worldwide, behind Jurassic Park.[77] It held the record for the highest-grossing animated feature film (in North America, outside North America, and worldwide) until it was surpassed by the computer animated Finding Nemo (2003). With the earnings of the 3D run, The Lion King surpassed all the aforementioned films but Toy Story 3 to rank as the second-highest-grossing animated film worldwide—later dropping to ninth, and then tenth, surpassed by its photorealistic CGI remake counterpart—and it remains the highest-grossing hand-drawn animated film.[78] It is also the biggest animated movie of the last 50 years in terms of estimated attendance.[79] The Lion King was also the highest-grossing G-rated film in the United States from 1994 to 2003 and again from 2011 to 2019 until its total was surpassed by the computer-animated Toy Story 4 in August 2019 (unadjusted for inflation).[80]
====Original theatrical run====
In the first two days of limited release in two theaters it grossed $622,277 and for the weekend it earned $1,586,753, placing tenth place at the box office for the weekend.[81] The average of $793,377 per theater stands as the largest ever achieved during a weekend[82] and it was the highest-grossing opening weekend on under 50 screens, beating the record set by Star Wars in 1977 from 43 screens.[83] The film grossed $3,766,690 from the 2 screens in just 10 days.[84]
When it opened wide, The Lion King grossed $40.9 million – which at the time was the fourth biggest opening weekend ever and the highest sum for a Disney film – to top the weekend box office.[14] It also earned a rare "A+" rating from CinemaScore.[85] In September 1994, Disney pulled the film from movie theaters and announced it would be re-released during Thanksgiving in order to take advantage of the holiday season.[86] By the end of its original theatrical run, in spring 1995, it had earned $312.9 million,[2] being the second-highest-grossing 1994 film in North America behind Forrest Gump.[87] Box Office Mojo estimates that the film sold over 74 million tickets in the US in its initial theatrical run,[88] equivalent to $812.1 million adjusted for inflation in 2018.[89]
Outside of North America, the film grossed $358 million in 1994, before grossing $103 million worldwide in 1995.[90] It went on to earn $455.8 million overseas during its initial run, for a worldwide total of $768.6 million.[76]
====Re-releases====
;IMAX and large-format
The film was re-issued on December 25, 2002, for IMAX and large-format theaters. Don Hahn explained that eight years after The Lion King got its original release, "there was a whole new generation of kids who haven't really seen it, particularly on the big screen." Given the film had already been digitally archived during production, the restoration process was easier, while also providing many scenes with enhancements that covered up original deficiencies.[40][91] An enhanced sound mix was also provided to, as Hahn explained, "make the audience feel like they're in the middle of the movie."[40] On its first weekend, The Lion King made $2.7 million from 66 locations, a $27,664 per theater average. This run ended with $15.7 million on May 30, 2003.[92]
;3D conversion
In 2011, The Lion King was converted to 3D for a two-week limited theatrical re-issue and subsequent 3D Blu-ray release.[67][93] The film opened at the number one spot on Friday, September 16, 2011, with $8.9 million[94] and finished the weekend with $30.2 million, ranking number one at the box office. This made The Lion King the first re-issue release to earn the number-one slot at the American weekend box office since the re-issue of Return of the Jedi in March 1997.[78] The film also achieved the fourth-highest September opening weekend of all time.[95] It held off very well on its second weekend, again earning first place at the box office with a 27 percent decline to $21.9 million.[96] Most box-office observers had expected the film to fall about 50 percent in its second weekend and were also expecting Moneyball to be at first place.[97]
After its initial box-office success, many theaters decided to continue to show the film for more than two weeks, even though its 3D Blu-ray release was scheduled for two-and-a-half weeks after its theatrical release.[96] In North America, the 3D re-release ended its run in theaters on January 12, 2012, with a gross $94.2 million. Outside North America, it earned $83.4 million.[98] The successful 3D re-release of The Lion King made Disney and Pixar plan 3D theatrical re-releases of Beauty and the Beast, Finding Nemo, Monsters, Inc., and The Little Mermaid during 2012 and 2013.[99] However, none of the re-releases of the first three films achieved the enormous success of The Lion King 3D and the theatrical re-release of The Little Mermaid was ultimately cancelled.[100] In 2012, Ray Subers of Box Office Mojo wrote that the reason why the 3D version of The Lion King succeeded was because, "the notion of a 3D re-release was still fresh and exciting, and The Lion King (3D) felt timely given the movie's imminent Blu-ray release. Audiences have been hit with three 3D re-releases in the year since, meaning the novelty value has definitely worn off."
===Critical response===
The Lion King was released to critical acclaim. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a rating of 93%, based on 128 reviews, with an average rating of 8.39/10. It also ranked 56th on their "Top 100 Animation Movies".[102] The site's critical consensus reads, "Emotionally stirring, richly drawn, and beautifully animated, The Lion King stands tall within Disney's pantheon of classic family films."[103] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 88 out of 100, based on 30 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[104] CinemaScore reported that audiences gave the film a rare "A+" grade.[105]
Roger Ebert gave the film three and a half stars out of a possible four and called it "a superbly drawn animated feature" and wrote in his print review, "The saga of Simba, which in its deeply buried origins owes something to Greek tragedy and certainly to Hamlet, is a learning experience as well as an entertainment."[106] On the television program Siskel & Ebert, the film was praised but received a mixed reaction when compared to previous Disney films. Ebert and his partner Gene Siskel both gave the film a "Thumbs Up" but Siskel said that it was not as good as earlier films such as Beauty and the Beast and was "a good film, not a great one".[107] Hal Hinson of The Washington Post called it "an impressive, almost daunting achievement" and felt that the film was "spectacular in a manner that has nearly become commonplace with Disney's feature-length animations", but was less enthusiastic toward the end of his review saying, "Shakespearean in tone, epic in scope, it seems more appropriate for grown-ups than for kids. If truth be told, even for adults it is downright strange."[108]
Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly praised the film, writing that it "has the resonance to stand not just as a terrific cartoon but as an emotionally pungent movie".[109] Rolling Stone film critic Peter Travers praised the film and felt that it was "a hugely entertaining blend of music, fun, and eye-popping thrills, though it doesn't lack for heart".[110] James Berardinelli from ReelViews praised the film saying, "With each new animated release, Disney seems to be expanding its already-broad horizons a little more. The Lion King is the most mature (in more than one sense) of these films, and there clearly has been a conscious effort to please adults as much as children. Happily, for those of us who generally stay far away from 'cartoons', they have succeeded."[111]
Some reviewers still had problems with the film's narrative. The staff of TV Guide wrote that while The Lion King was technically proficient and entertaining, it "offers a less memorable song score than did the previous hits, and a hasty, unsatisfying dramatic resolution."[112] The New Yorkers Terrence Rafferty considered that despite the good animation, the story felt like "manipulat[ing] our responses at will", as "Between traumas, the movie serves up soothingly banal musical numbers and silly, rambunctious comedy".[113]
===Accolades===
====Year-end lists====
*2nd – Douglas Armstrong, The Milwaukee Journal[114]
*5th – Sandi Davis, The Oklahoman[115]
*5th – Todd Anthony, Miami New Times[116]
*6th – Stephen Hunter, The Baltimore Sun[117]
*6th – Christopher Sheid, The Munster Times[118]
*7th – Joan Vadeboncoeur, Syracuse Herald American[119]
*7th – Dan Craft, The Pantagraph[120]
*8th – Steve Persall, St. Petersburg Times[121]
*8th – Desson Howe, The Washington Post[122]
*10th – Mack Bates, The Milwaukee Journal[123]
*10th – David Elliott, The San Diego Union-Tribune[124]
*Top 7 (not ranked) – Duane Dudek, Milwaukee Sentinel[125]
*Top 9 (not ranked) – Dan Webster, The Spokesman-Review[126]
*Top 10 (listed alphabetically, not ranked) – Matt Zoller Seitz, Dallas Observer[127]
*Top 10 (listed alphabetically, not ranked) – William Arnold, Seattle Post-Intelligencer[128]
*Top 10 (listed alphabetically, not ranked) – Mike Mayo, The Roanoke Times[129]
*Top 10 (not ranked) – Bob Carlton, The Birmingham News[130]
*"The second 10" (not ranked) – Sean P. Means, The Salt Lake Tribune[131]
*Honorable mention – Michael MacCambridge, Austin American-Statesman[132]
*Honorable mention – Dennis King, Tulsa World[133]
*Honorable mention – Glenn Lovell, San Jose Mercury News[134]
*Honorable mention – John Hurley, Staten Island Advance[135]
*Honorable mention – Jeff Simon, The Buffalo News[136]
====Other awards====
The Lion King received four Golden Globe Award and Oscar nominations. The film would go on to win two Golden Globes; for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and Best Original Score,[137] as well as two Academy Awards, for Best Original Score (Hans Zimmer) and Best Original Song with "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" by Elton John and Tim Rice.[138] The songs "Circle of Life" and "Hakuna Matata" were also nominated.[138] "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" also won the Grammy Award for Best Male Vocal Performance.[139] The Lion King also won Annie Awards for Best Animated Feature, Best Achievement in Voice Acting (for Jeremy Irons) and Best Individual Achievement for Story Contribution in the Field of Animation.[140]
At the Saturn Awards, the film was nominated in two categories, Best Fantasy Film and Best Performance by a Younger Actor although it did not win in either category.[141] The film also received two nominations at the British Academy Film Awards, for Best Sound as well as the Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music although it lost in both categories to Speed and Backbeat respectively.[142] The film received two BMI Film & TV Awards for Film Music and Most Performed Song with "Can You Feel the Love Tonight."[143] At the 1995 MTV Movie Awards, the film received nominations for Best Villain and Best Song, though it lost in both categories.[144] The Lion King won the Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Movie at the 1995 Kids' Choice Awards.[145][146]
In 2008, The Lion King was ranked as the 319th greatest film ever made by Empire magazine,[147] and in June 2011, TIME named it one of "The 25 All-TIME Best Animated Films".[148] In June 2008, the American Film Institute listed The Lion King as the fourth best film in the animation genre in its AFI's 10 Top 10 list,[149] having previously put "Hakuna Matata" as 99th on its AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs ranking.[150]
In 2016, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
===Controversies===
====Kimba the White Lion====
:Further information: Kimba the White Lion § The Lion King controversy
Certain elements of the film were thought to bear a resemblance to Osamu Tezuka's 1960s Japanese anime television series, Jungle Emperor (known as Kimba the White Lion in the United States), with some similarities between a number of characters and various individual scenes. The 1994 release of The Lion King drew a protest in Japan, where Kimba and its creator Osamu Tezuka are cultural icons. 488 Japanese cartoonists and animators, led by manga author Machiko Satonaka, signed a petition accusing Disney of plagiarism and demanding that they give due credit to Tezuka.[151][152] Matthew Broderick believed initially that he was, in fact, working on an American version of Kimba since he was familiar with the Japanese original.[153] The Lion King director Roger Allers claimed complete unfamiliarity with the show until the movie was almost completed, and did not remember it being ever mentioned during development.[154] Madhavi Sunder has suggested that Allers might have seen the 1989 remake of Kimba on prime time television while living in Tokyo. However, while Allers did indeed move to Tokyo in 1983 in order to work on Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland (1989), he moved back to the United States in 1985, four years before the 1989 remake of Kimba began airing.[5][155] Co-director Rob Minkoff also stated that he was unfamiliar with it.[156][157] Minkoff also observed that whenever a story is based in Africa, it is "not unusual to have characters like a baboon, a bird or hyenas."[156]
Takayuki Matsutani, the president of Tezuka Productions which created Kimba the White Lion, said in 1994 that "[q]uite a few staff of our company saw a preview of 'The Lion King', discussed this subject and came to the conclusion that you cannot avoid having these similarities as long as you use animals as characters and try to draw images out of them".[158] Yoshihiro Shimizu of Tezuka Productions has refuted rumors that the studio was paid hush money by Disney and stated that they have no interest in suing Disney, explaining that "[w]e think it's a totally different story". Shimizu further explained that they rejected urges from some American lawyers to sue because "we're a small, weak company... Disney's lawyers are among the top twenty in the world!"[159] Tezuka's family and Tezuka Productions never pursued litigation.[160]
Fred Ladd, who was involved early on with importing Kimba and other Japanese anime into America for NBC, expressed incredulity that Disney's people could remain ignorant.[161][157] Ladd stated there was at least one animator remembered by his colleagues as being an avid Kimba fan and being quite vociferous about Disney's conduct during production.[161] Animators Tom Sito and Mark Kausler have both stated that they had watched Kimba as children in the 1960s. However, Sito maintains there was "absolutely no inspiration" from Kimba during the production of The Lion King, and Kausler emphasized Disney's own Bambi as being their model during development.[162][163]
The controversy surrounding Kimba and The Lion King was parodied in a 1995 episode of The Simpsons, where a lion appearing in the clouds is saying, "You must avenge my death, Kimba... I mean, Simba."[164]
====Other controversies====
Protests were raised against one scene where it appears as if the word "SEX" might have been embedded into the dust flying in the sky when Simba flops down,[165] which conservative activist Donald Wildmon asserted was a subliminal message intended to promote sexual promiscuity. Animator Tom Sito has stated that the letters spell "SFX" (a common abbreviation for "special effects"), not with an "E" instead of the "F", and were intended as an innocent "signature" created by the effects animation team.[166]
Hyena biologists protested against the animal's portrayal, though the complaints may have been somewhat tongue-in-cheek. One hyena researcher, who had organized the animators' visit to the University of California, Berkeley, Field Station for the Study of Behavior, Ecology, and Reproduction, where they would observe and sketch captive hyenas,[167] listed "boycott The Lion King" in an article listing ways to help preserve hyenas in the wild, and later "joke[d] that The Lion King set back hyena conservation efforts."[168][169] Even so, the film was also credited with "spark[ing] an interest" in hyenas at the Berkeley center.[169]
The film has been criticized for race and class issues, with the hyenas seen as reflecting negative stereotypes of black and Latino ethnic communities.
==Legacy==
===Sequels and spin-offs===
The first Lion King-related animated projects involved the characters of Timon and Pumbaa. First, the duo starred in the animated short "Stand by Me", featuring Timon singing the eponymous song, which was released in 1995 accompanying the theatrical release of Tom and Huck. The duo then received their own animated series, The Lion King's Timon & Pumbaa, which ran for three seasons and 85 episodes between 1995 and 1999. Ernie Sabella continued to voice Pumbaa, while Timon was voiced by Quinton Flynn and Kevin Schon in addition to Nathan Lane.[174]
Disney released two direct-to-video films related to The Lion King. The first was sequel The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, released in 1998 on VHS. The film centers around Simba and Nala's daughter, Kiara, who falls in love with Kovu, a male lion who was raised in a pride of Scar's followers, the Outsiders.[175] The Lion King 1½, another direct-to-video Lion King film, saw its release in 2004. It is a prequel in showing how Timon and Pumbaa met each other, and also a parallel in that it also depicts what the characters were retconned to have done during the events of the original movie.[176]
In June 2014, it was announced that a new TV series based on the film would be released called The Lion Guard, featuring Kion, the second-born cub of Simba and Nala. The Lion Guard is a sequel to The Lion King and takes place during the time-gap within The Lion King II: Simba's Pride,[177] with the last 2 episodes of Season 3 taking place after the events of that film. It was first broadcast on Disney Channel as a television film titled The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar in November 2015 before airing as a series on Disney Junior in January 2016.[178][179]
===CGI remake===
In September 2016, following the critical and financial success of The Jungle Book, Walt Disney Pictures announced that they were developing a CGI remake of The Lion King by the same name, with Jon Favreau directing.[180] The following month, Jeff Nathanson was hired to write the script for the film.[181] Favreau originally planned to shoot it back-to-back with the sequel to The Jungle Book.[180][182] However, it was reported in early 2017 that the latter film was put on hold in order for Favreau to instead focus mainly on The Lion King.[183] In February 2017, Favreau announced that Donald Glover had been cast as Simba and that James Earl Jones would be reprising the role of Mufasa.[184] The following month, it was reported that Beyoncé was Favreau's top choice to voice Nala, but she had not accepted the role yet due to a pregnancy.[185] In April 2017, Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen joined the film as Timon and Pumbaa, respectively.[186] Two months later, John Oliver was cast as Zazu.[187] At the end of July 2017, Beyoncé had reportedly entered final negotiations to play Nala and contribute a new soundtrack.[188] The following month, Chiwetel Ejiofor entered talks to play Scar.[189] Later on, Alfre Woodard and John Kani joined the film as Sarabi and Rafiki, respectively.[190][191] On November 1, 2017, Beyoncé and Chiwetel Ejiofor were officially confirmed to voice Nala and Scar, with Eric Andre, Florence Kasumba, Keegan-Michael Key, JD McCrary, and Shahadi Wright Joseph joining the cast as the voices of Azizi, Shenzi, and Kamari, young Simba, and young Nala, respectively, while Hans Zimmer would return to score the film's music.[192][193][194][195][196] On November 28, 2017, it was reported that Elton John had signed onto the project to rework his musical compositions from the original film.[197]
Production for the film began in May 2017.[198] It was released on July 19, 2019.[199]
===Black Is King===
In June 2020, Parkwood Entertainment and Disney announced that a film titled Black Is King would be released on July 31, 2020 on Disney+. The live-action film is inspired by The Lion King (2019) and serves as a visual album for the tie-in album The Lion King: The Gift, which was curated by Beyoncé for the film.[200] Directed, written and executive produced by Beyoncé, Black Is King is described as reimagining "the lessons of The Lion King for today’s young kings and queens in search of their own crowns".[201] The film chronicles the story of a young African king who undergoes a "transcendent journey through betrayal, love and self-identity" to reclaim his throne, utilizing the guidance of his ancestors and childhood love, with the story being told through the voices of present-day Black people.[202] The cast includes Lupita Nyong'o, Naomi Campbell, Jay-Z, Kelly Rowland, Pharrell Williams, Tina Knowles-Lawson, Aweng Ade-Chuol and Adut Akech.[201]
===Video games===
Along with the film release, three different video games based on The Lion King were released by Virgin Interactive in December 1994. The main title was developed by Westwood Studios, and published for PC and Amiga computers and the consoles SNES and Sega Mega Drive/Genesis. Dark Technologies created the Game Boy version, while Syrox Developments handled the Master System and Game Gear version.[203] The film and sequel Simba's Pride later inspired another game, Torus Games' The Lion King: Simba's Mighty Adventure (2000) for the Game Boy Color and PlayStation.[204] Timon and Pumbaa also appeared in Timon & Pumbaa's Jungle Games, a 1995 PC game collection of puzzle games by 7th Level, later ported to the SNES by Tiertex.[205]
The Square Enix series Kingdom Hearts features Simba as a recurring summon,[206][207] as well as a playable in the Lion King world, known as Pride Lands, in Kingdom Hearts II. There the plotline is loosely related to the later part of the original film, with all of the main characters except Zazu and Sarabi.[208] The Lion King also provides one of the worlds featured in the 2011 action-adventure game Disney Universe,[209] and Simba was featured in the Nintendo DS title Disney Friends (2008).[210]
===Stage adaptations===
Walt Disney Theatrical produced a musical stage adaptation of the same name, which premiered in Minneapolis, Minnesota in July 1997, and later opened on Broadway in October 1997 at the New Amsterdam Theatre. The Lion King musical was directed by Julie Taymor[211] and featured songs from both the movie and Rhythm of the Pride Lands, along with three new compositions by Elton John and Tim Rice. Mark Mancina did the musical arrangements and new orchestral tracks.[212] The musical became one of the most successful in Broadway history, winning six Tony Awards including Best Musical, and despite moving to the Minskoff Theatre in 2006, is still running to this day in New York, becoming the third longest-running show and highest grossing Broadway production in history. The show's financial success led to adaptations all over the world.[13][213][214]
The Lion King inspired two attractions retelling the story of the film at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. The first, "The Legend of the Lion King", featured a recreation of the film through life-size puppets of its characters, and ran from 1994 to 2002 at Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World.[215] Another that is still running is the live-action 30-minute musical revue of the movie, "Festival of the Lion King", which incorporates the musical numbers into gymnastic routines with live actors, along with animatronic puppets of Simba and Pumbaa and a costumed actor as Timon. The attraction opened in April 1998 at Disney World's Animal Kingdom,[216] and in September 2005 in Hong Kong Disneyland's Adventureland.[217] A similar version under the name "The Legend of the Lion King" was featured in Disneyland Paris from 2004 to 2009.
== References ==
 
Category:1990s adventure films
Category:1990s American animated films
Category:1994 animated films
Category:1994 films
Category:American animated films
Category:American epic films
Category:American films
Category:American musical films
Category:Animated musical films
Category:Films considered the Best
Category:Best Animated Feature Annie Award winners
Category:Best Musical or Comedy Picture Golden Globe winners
Category:Directorial debut films
Category:Disney animated features canon
Category:Disney Renaissance
Category:Film scores by Hans Zimmer
Category:Films about animals
Category:Films about lions
Category:Films based on Hamlet
Category:Films directed by Rob Minkoff
Category:Films directed by Roger Allers
Category:Films featuring anthropomorphic characters
Category:Films produced by Don Hahn
Category:Films set in Africa
Category:Films that won the Best Original Score Academy Award
Category:Films that won the Best Original Song Academy Award
Category:Fratricide in fiction
Category:Hyenas in popular culture
Category:Regicide in fiction
Category:Screenplays by Linda Woolverton
Category:Walt Disney Pictures films
Category:Films based on multiple works
Category:Films based on the Hebrew Bible
Category:Re-Release films
Category:Films with a single song
Category:Films without Humans
Category:Blockbusters
Category:Animated films about revenge
Category:IMAX films
Category:Swahili-language films
Category:Films about regicide
Category:Films starring James Earl Jones
Category:Films starring Whoopi Goldberg
Category:Films starring Jeremy Irons
Category:Films starring Rowan Atkinson
Category:Films starring Matthew Broderick
Category:Films starring Nathan Lane
Category:Films starring Robert Guillaume
Category:Films starring Cheech Marin
Category:Films starring Jonathan Taylor Thomas
Category:Films with screenplays by Joe Ranft
Category:Films starring Jim Cummings
Category:Films starring Ernie Sabella
Category:Rated G
Category:Animation
Category:Adventure
Category:Comedy
Category:Drama
Category:Family
Category:Romance
Category:Films on VHS
Category:Films on Laserdiscs
Category:THX
Category:Films on 4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray