The Cheetah King

Cast

Charlie the Tanzanian Cheetah as Simba

Tina the Tanzanian Cheetah as Nala

Steven the Tanzanian Cheetah as Mufasa

Scar the Masai Lion as himself

Iago the Scarlet Macaw as Zazu

Krebbs the Koala as Timon

Red the Red Kangaroo as Pumbaa

Christine the Tanzanian Cheetah as Sarabi

Watson the Leopard as Rafiki

Shenzi,Banzai and Ed the Spotted Hyenas as Themselves

Blue Wildebeests as the Wildebeest Stampede

Spotted and Striped Hyenas as Shenzi's Clan

Plot

In the Pride Lands of Africa, a pride of cheetahs rule over the animal kingdom from Pride Rock. King Steven's and Queen Christine's newborn son, Charlie, is presented to the gathering animals by Watson the leopard, the kingdom's shaman and advisor.

Steven shows Charlie the Pride Lands and explains to him the responsibilities of kingship and the "circle of life", which connects all living things. Steven's younger brother, Scar, covets the throne and plots to eliminate Steven and Charlie, so he may become king. He tricks Charlie and his best friend Tina into exploring a forbidden elephants' graveyard, where they are attacked by three spotted hyenas who named Shenzi,Banzai and Ed. Steven is alerted about the incident by his majordomo, the parrot Iago, and rescues the cubs. Though upset with Charlie, Steven 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 Charlie. Meanwhile, Scar visits the hyenas and manages to convince them to help him overthrow Steven in exchange for hunting rights in the Pride Lands.

Scar sets a trap for his brother and nephew, luring Charlie into a gorge and having the hyenas drive a large herd of wildebeest into a stampede that will trample him. He informs Steven of Charlie's peril, knowing that the king will rush to save his son. Steven saves Charlie but ends up hanging perilously from the gorge's edge. Scar refuses to help Steven, instead sending him falling to his death. He then convinces Charlie that the tragedy was Charlie's own fault and advises him to leave the kingdom and never return. He orders the hyenas to kill the cub, but Charlie escapes. Scar tells the pride that both Steven and Charlie were killed in the stampede and steps forward as the new king, allowing Shenzi's clan to live in the Pride Lands.

Charlie collapses in a desert and is rescued by Krebbs and Red, a koala and kangaroo. Charlie grows up in the oasis with his two new friends and other animals in their oasis, living a carefree life under the motto "hakuna matata" ("no worries" in Swahili).

Now a young adult, Charlie rescues Krebbs and Red from a hungry cheetah, who turns out to be Tina. She and Charlie reunite and fall in love, and she urges him to return home, telling him that the Pride Lands have become a drought-stricken wasteland under Scar's reign. Feeling guilty over his father's death, Charlie refuses and storms off. He then encounters Watson, who tells him that Steven's spirit lives on in Charlie. Charlie is visited by the ghost of Steven 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, Charlie decides to return to the Pride Lands.

Aided by his friends, Charlie sneaks past the hyenas at Pride Rock and confronts Scar, who was about to fight Christine. Scar taunts Charlie over his role in Steven's death and backs him to the edge of the rock, where he reveals to him that he murdered Steven. Enraged, Charlie attempts to reveal the truth to the rest of the pride, while Scar, who previously claimed that he arrived too late at the gorge, attempts to deny it, but his knowledge of Steven's last moment exposes his role in Steven's death. Krebbs, Red, Watson, Iago, and the cheetahs fend off the hyenas while Scar, attempting to escape, is cornered by Charlie at a ledge near the top of Pride Rock. Scar begs for mercy and attempts to blame his crimes on the hyenas; Charlie spares his life but orders him to leave the Pride Lands forever. Scar refuses and attacks his nephew, but Charlie manages to throw him off the cliff after a brief fight. Scar survives the fall but is attacked and mauled to death by the hyenas, who overheard his attempt to betray them. Afterward, Charlie takes over the kingship and makes Tina his queen.

With the Pride Lands restored to its usual state, Watson presents Charlie and Tina's newborn cub to the assembled animals, continuing the circle of life.