the lion king book report

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Fiction | Novel | Early Reader Picture Book | Published in 1994

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The Lion King Summary

Lights, camera, action.

If you've never seen The Lion King , close this tab, head over to the rest of the interwebs, and...just watch. See, this here's a musical with some of the most famous songs in Disney history ("The Circle of Life" and "Hakuna Matata" for starters). Because our musical performances are better in person and not via written-word summary, you just won't get the same vibe from us as you will from the movie. So yeah...go watch.

Back? Good.

We open with what rivals Raiders of the Lost Ark  for best opening scene in movie history:  " The Circle of Life ."

In case you don't speak disney fanatic, here's what's happening: we're in the Pride Lands, where a bunch of animals are going to the presentation ceremony of a young cub named Simba. But Simba isn't just any old lion cub: he's the son of King Mufasa and Queen Sarabi, the royal family of the Pride Lands. The entire animal kingdom is thrilled to hear of Simba's birth, especially Rafiki, the elderly baboon who functions as Mufasa's spiritual counselor. 

The only one who's not excited? Old Uncle Scar, who's jealous that his nephew will likely inherit the throne before him.

Sound familiar? Yeah, it's Hamlet .

Via some amazing montages, we watch Simba grow up. Like most little kids, he's pretty mischievous. At Scar's not-so-subtle urging, Simba convinces his friend, Nala, to accompany him to an elephant graveyard that Mufasa has expressly forbidden him from visiting. Simba, Nala, and Zazu—a red-billed hornbill who is Mufasa's majordomo—end up in the elephant graveyard anyway. Because kids.

Just as they're about to get eaten by a trio of bloodthirsty hyenas named Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed,  Mufasa shows up and saves the day. Like ya do.

After their would-be prey escapes, the hyenas lament how hungry they are. Scar, who apparently spends a lot of time chilling in this elephant graveyard, overhears them. Turns out they're all buds, and Scar and promises them unlimited food if they'll help him kill Mufasa and Simba. Easily bribed, the hyenas agree.

Cue: cackles and every kid in american finally knowing what a laughing hyena is.

Scar lures Simba into a giant gorge with the vague promise of a "surprise." Simba—who's still a little kid, if you remember—goes there eagerly, without questioning his super creepy uncle. While Simba is practicing his roar on a lizard, he notices the ground is shaking. The hyenas have sent a stampede of wildebeests over the edge of the gorge, and Simba is caught in the stampede.

Mufasa rushes to rescue his son. Because he's Mufasa (i.e., a total rockstar), he saves Simba immediately. But then...he gets carried off by the stampede. With a final burst of effort, he leaps up onto the edge of a cliff where Scar is standing and begs his brother to pull him up.  Because Scar is a power-hungry sociopath, he throws Mufasa off the edge of the cliff instead. 

Mufasa falls to his death. 

Excuse us while we grab some tissues.

To add insult to injury, Scar convinces the impressionable Simba that he is the one responsible for his father's death (as if his little cub roar could actually set off a stampede) and urges him to flee into exile.

While in exile, Simba makes friends with a meerkat named Timon and a warthog named Pumbaa. Timon and Pumbaa basically raise him, teaching him the ways of the jungle—like what bugs are best to eat, how to burp as loudly as possible, and how to sing a song that would become part of the American subconscious for decades.

As Simba grows up, he forgets about his role as king of the Pride Lands. 

That is, until Nala accidentally stumbles upon Timon and Pumbaa's hideout.

After some convincing from Nala, Rafiki, and the ghost of his father, Simba finally decides to return to the Pride Lands. One problem, though: Scar has completely ruined the once-beautiful kingdom. The place is dark and destroyed, all of the leaves and greenery wilted. What's worse: none of the lions have anything to eat.

Simba confronts Scar, demanding that he cede the throne. Scar isn't exactly keen on that idea, and he tells the other lions that Simba was the one who killed Mufasa. Simba, still in the dark, admits to the "truth" of this statement. He and Scar fight, and Simba ends up dangling from the edge of Pride Rock. Just as Scar is about to throw Simba to his death, he confesses to Mufasa's murder. 

Scar's confession gives Simba a burst of energy (confession: we're getting choked up while writing this): he pulls himself back up and attacks Scar, eventually throwing the evil lion into a pit of hungry hyenas who have turned on him.

After Scar's defeat, Simba assumes the throne. He and Nala get together and have a kid—a son, shocker—who goes on to become the next king of the Pride Lands. 

And the Circle of Life continues.

Unfortunately, so does the franchise, with a couple not-great sequels.

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W hy's T his F unny?

The Lion King Summary, Characters and Themes

The Lion King is a classic Disney animated film (with a board book adaptation) about a young lion named Simba. 

After his father, Mufasa, is murdered by his evil uncle, Scar, Simba flees his home. He eventually grows up, embracing his destiny as the rightful king. With the help of his friends, Simba returns to challenge Scar and reclaim his rightful place as the leader of the Pride Lands. The film is known for its themes of family, responsibility, and the cycle of life, as well as its iconic music.

In the heart of the African savanna, the Pride Lands are ruled by the wise and noble King Mufasa. He and his queen, Sarabi, proudly present their newborn heir, Simba, to the kingdom’s animal subjects. 

Guided by his father and the eccentric shaman Rafiki, Simba learns about the delicate ‘circle of life’ and his future responsibilities as king.

Mufasa’s embittered brother, Scar, consumed by envy and a lust for power, plots to eliminate both Mufasa and Simba. 

He tricks Simba and his friend Nala into visiting a forbidden elephant graveyard, where they’re attacked by Scar’s hyena henchmen. Mufasa bravely rescues the cubs, but Scar’s next scheme proves fatal. He lures Simba into a canyon and triggers a deadly wildebeest stampede, then throws Mufasa into the chaos to his death.

Scar manipulates the grief-stricken Simba, making him believe he caused his father’s demise, and orders him to flee. Lost and alone, Simba nearly perishes before being rescued by the carefree meerkat Timon and the warthog Pumbaa. 

They teach Simba their “Hakuna Matata” (no worries) philosophy , and he grows up embracing a life without responsibility.

Years later, Simba’s childhood friend Nala, now a young lioness, stumbles upon him. She reveals the desolate state of the Pride Lands under Scar’s tyrannical rule, where drought and famine prevail. 

Nala urges Simba to return and reclaim his birthright, but he’s haunted by guilt and refuses.

Rafiki, with his wisdom, helps Simba realize Mufasa’s spirit lives on within him. Simba then encounters Mufasa’s ghost, who reminds him of his true destiny as king. Galvanized, Simba resolves to challenge his uncle and restore balance to the kingdom.

Back at Pride Rock, Simba confronts Scar, who attempts to rekindle Simba’s guilt over Mufasa’s death. 

Yet, the truth emerges: Scar was the true murderer. 

Enraged, Simba forces his uncle to confess before the pride. A fierce battle erupts as Simba, Nala, Timon, Pumbaa, Rafiki, and the lionesses fight the hyenas. Simba corners Scar, who pleads for mercy but is ultimately banished. Scar’s betrayal leads the vengeful hyenas to turn on him.

With Scar defeated, Simba ascends to his rightful place as king. Rain returns, revitalizing the Pride Lands. Life flourishes once more as Simba and Nala welcome their own cub, held aloft by Rafiki for the kingdom to see. The circle of life continues, demonstrating triumph over adversity and the enduring power of legacy.

Simba embodies the classic coming-of-age story. He begins as a playful, eager cub, filled with youthful arrogance and a desire to prove himself. Mufasa’s death and Scar’s manipulation shatter his world, leaving him guilt-ridden and lost. Simba’s exile with Timon and Pumbaa showcases his ability to adapt and find joy, even in difficult circumstances. 

Yet, he remains haunted by the past. 

His encounter with Nala and Rafiki forces him to confront his responsibilities. 

Simba’s final battle with Scar isn’t just about reclaiming the throne, but about conquering his internal demons. 

His transformation into a mature and responsible king highlights themes of self-discovery, forgiveness, and the enduring power of legacy.

Mufasa represents the ideal ruler: wise, strong, and compassionate. He understands the delicate balance of the “circle of life” and teaches Simba about his role within it. 

Mufasa is a loving father, gently guiding Simba while instilling the importance of duty. His tragic death becomes the catalyst for Simba’s journey, and his memory serves as Simba’s guiding light in his darkest moments. 

Mufasa’s influence lives on through his son, symbolizing the lasting impact of a virtuous leader.

Scar is fueled by jealousy, resentment, and a twisted desire for power. Unlike Mufasa, he sees the kingdom as a means to satisfy his own ambitions and disregards the natural order. 

He is cunning, manipulative, and willing to do anything to achieve his goals, Scar’s insidious nature is highlighted by his exploitation of Simba’s innocence and his betrayal of his own family. 

He embodies the dangers of unchecked ambition and serves as a stark contrast to Mufasa’s benevolent leadership.

Nala is brave, independent, and loyal. She recognizes the Pride Lands’ decline under Scar’s rule, prompting her to seek help from Simba. 

Her love for Simba serves as a beacon of hope, reminding him of his home and his true identity. 

Nala isn’t just Simba’s love interest; she’s a strong character who actively challenges Scar and helps reclaim the kingdom.

Rafiki is the eccentric sage who guides Simba with wisdom and a touch of mystical playfulness. 

He understands the connection between the past, present, and future, and recognizes Mufasa’s spirit living on in Simba. Rafiki acts as a catalyst for Simba’s self-discovery, aiding in his understanding of his destiny and his place in the ‘circle of life’.

Timon and Pumbaa

This inseparable duo provides comic relief and an important lesson for Simba. Their “Hakuna Matata” philosophy represents a carefree approach to life, focused on avoiding problems and worries. 

While this gives Simba a chance to heal and temporarily escape his past, it also contrasts with his responsibility as king. 

However, Timon and Pumbaa’s unwavering loyalty and friendship ultimately help Simba return to his path, highlighting that a life of fulfillment requires embracing both joy and responsibility.

Zazu is a stickler for the rules and tradition, representing order and duty within the Pride Lands. He’s often exasperated by Simba’s youthful antics and serves as a reminder of the expectations placed on a future king. 

His loyalty to Mufasa continues after the king’s death, and his defiance of Scar shows his commitment to the rightful order of the kingdom.

Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed

These hyenas are Scar’s henchmen, driven by hunger and a desire for power. They operate as a unit, their cackling laughter emphasizing their villainous nature. 

They represent opportunistic chaos, exploiting Scar’s rule to destabilize the natural harmony of the Pride Lands. 

Their eventual demise underscores the consequences of greed and blind obedience.

The Circle of Life

The concept of the ‘circle of life’ is the heart of The Lion King’s philosophy. 

It emphasizes the interconnectedness of all living beings, the balance between life and death, and the understanding that every creature plays a vital role in the grand scheme of existence. 

Mufasa teaches Simba about respecting this delicate balance, and how a true king understands his place within it. Scar’s reign disrupts the circle of life, leading to drought and famine, highlighting the consequences of disregarding natural order. 

When Simba reclaims his throne, he re-establishes this balance, restoring harmony and prosperity to the Pride Lands.

Responsibility and Legacy

Simba’s journey is fundamentally about embracing responsibility. 

As a young cub, he’s eager to be king but doesn’t yet comprehend the weight of that role. His exile allows him to escape responsibility, but also leaves him unfulfilled. 

Through his encounters with Nala and Rafiki, Simba realizes he cannot run from his past or his destiny. By confronting Scar and reclaiming his throne, he accepts the mantle of leadership passed down from his father. 

The Lion King explores the importance of fulfilling one’s duty and the enduring impact a person’s actions can have on future generations.

Facing the Past and Finding Redemption

Guilt and trauma over Mufasa’s death plague Simba, leading him to believe he’s unworthy of being king. Scar exploits this vulnerability, making Simba feel responsible for his father’s demise.

Simba’s growth depends on confronting his past, acknowledging his pain, and ultimately forgiving himself. This struggle mirrors real-life experiences of loss and grief. The film doesn’t shy away from difficult emotions but ultimately offers a message of hope and healing. 

Simba’s act of confronting Scar is not only about reclaiming the throne but also reclaiming his own sense of self.

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Book Review: “The Lion King: The Novelization”

By now the word is out that the live-action version of The Lion King  closely adheres to the original animated feature. For that reason, it might seem superfluous that Disney Press released The Lion King: The Novelization   by Elizabeth Rudnick. While it’s true that if you’ve seen the original film you know the story, it doesn’t mean that there’s no point to reading it.

Novelizations like this are usually in the works before the film is in the can, often based on some iteration of a script that may not be final. For that reason, fans of the live action film will notice at least one entire scene that isn’t in the film, in addition to some altered dialogue or different jokes. This is often because the actors improvise when they’re working on the film and sometimes the Director chooses their moment of inspiration for the final cut over what the writers originally intended.

Elizabeth Rudnick pens the majority of Disney’s novelizations and always handles them with great care. She expands on the settings and feeling of each moment, allowing readers to linger in them. And if you didn’t know that some of the scenes featured iconic songs, you wouldn’t know that any of the story is adapted from a musical. For example, a chapter in the book features Simba and Nala trying to evade Zazu at the watering hole. In the film, this happens through the song “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King.” In the book, it’s expanded into a bigger game of chase.

The Lion King  has touched the hearts of millions for over two decades and I believe the secret to its enormous success is because it talks about life and death in such a simple, yet profound way. This novelization is no different and while the story may be in a different format, it’s no less touching. Reading through it makes it almost more of a spiritual experience.

Before the first Harry Potter  book, I was a fairly unmotivated reader as a kid. When I was inspired to read a book, it was usually the novelization of an upcoming movie I was really excited for, or a movie I loved so much that I wanted to “See” it again and didn’t want to wait for it to come to Blockbuster. If your kids are similar to the way I was, I encourage you to help them access whatever books interest thiem, even if its a novelization of a remake of a film they know so well. At first glance, The Lion King: The Novelization  seems pointless, but it recaptures the magic of the film and gets kids reading, which is win-win.

Today's Paper | May 06, 2024

Book review: the lion king.

You may have seen the trailer of the upcoming film The Lion King, which is based on the evergreen animated Disney classic that was released 25 years ago. Disney Wonderful World of Reading also offers the print version of that very classic that may not have the songs, but the impact is more or less the same.

What’s more, you don’t need anything from DVD, TV to YouTube, to relive the Disney classic because this print version takes you into the kingdom of Mufasa the moment you open the book.

The story begins in the Pride Lands where King Mufasa and Queen Sarabi celebrate the birth of their first-born cub Simba, in front of all the animals in their kingdom and under the supervision of Rafiki the Baboon. Simba joins the Circle of Life and is fortunate enough to learn from his father who is a popular king.

The cub’s uncle Scar, on the other hand, is the exact opposite of his elder brother and want the throne for himself. It is his scheming ways that see Mufasa die and Simba run away thinking that it is his fault that his father is dead. Scar uses the death of Mufasa and the absence of Simba to become the King ... until Simba’s return many years later.

How Simba survives all those years away from his family, his friends and above all, with his saviours Timon and Pumbaa make this book a must-read.

Although most of us know the story of Lion King, even then this book teaches you a thing or two. At least it tells young readers what the animated film misses, such as the facts that Timon was a meerkat, Pumbaa a warthog and Zazu a hornbill, while the hyenas were named Shenzi, Banzai and Ed.

Furthermore, it narrates the story in a better way, one that is suited for bedtime reading or reading with friends.

The illustrations have been taken from the animated film, yet the attention to detail is amazing and worth your time.

The presence of all kinds of animals in a book will attract new readers as well those who are more into reading than watching. Many of you may have already read a different edition of the book and may be familiar with its content, but a new edition always has a few surprises.

Published in Dawn, Young World, December 22nd, 2018

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The Lion King books

• View history

Books based on The Lion King , its sequels, the 2019 remake , and its characters.

• 1 Disney Press
• 2 Wonderful World of Reading
• 3 Six New Adventures
• 4 Miscellaneous

Movie Reviews

Tv/streaming, collections, great movies, chaz's journal, contributors, the lion king.

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It may be a long time before viewers can appreciate the 2019 remake of "The Lion King" as a freestanding work, instead of judging it against the original. The 1994 version was "Hamlet" plus "Bambi" on the African veldt: a childhood-shaping, Oscar-winning blockbuster, the second-highest grossing feature film of its calendar year, one of the last great hand-drawn Disney animated features (Pixar's original " Toy Story " came out 18 months later), and a tear-producing machine. This remake was controversial long before it opened, mainly because it seemed to take the Walt Disney company's new branding strategy—remaking beloved animated films as CGI-dependent "live action" spectaculars—to its most drastic conclusion. It serves up the same story with different actors, different arrangements of beloved songs and soundtrack cues, a couple of original tunes, a few fresh scenes and sequences, and, of course, photorealistic animals. The latter are the movie's main selling point, so believable that one of my kids remarked afterward that sitting through the film was like watching a nature documentary on mute while the soundtrack to original "The Lion King" played in the background.

But here's the thing: the movie is helmed by a Disney veteran, actor-director Jon Favreau , who's great at this kind of thing. And this might be his best-directed film, if you judge purely in terms of how the scenes and sequences have been framed, lit, and cut together. The cinematographer is Caleb Deschanel , who shot some of the greatest live-action animal adventures in movie history, including " The Black Stallion ," and this production straightforwardly owns the notion of "realness," modeling its animals on actual creatures, defining character more through body type and ingenious details of movement than through facial expressions, which might've looked kinda creepy here, honestly. (The animals are a little bit creepy at times, though not as creepy as in Andy Serkis' "Mowgli," where you sometimes felt as if you were watching top secret footage of gene-spliced animal-humans.) 

Favreau broke into filmmaking with such hip indie comedies as " Swingers " and " Made ," then improbably transformed himself into a junior version of Steven Spielberg or James Cameron , overseeing the biggest of big-budget properties, including the first two " Iron Man " films and Disney's recent hyper-real remake of " The Jungle Book ." This may be his most daunting challenge yet, or at least his most provocative if you cherish the source material. The very idea of presuming to remake Disney's most financially successful late-period animated film with the latest in computer-generated imagery, while continually reminding people of the original by recycling the same story and music (and many of the same iconic shots and locations, including the lions' distinctively shaped Pride Rock), is as close as Hollywood gets to courting charges of blasphemy. 

Visually, the original was 88 minutes' worth of stylized paintings in motion, like a child's storybook come to life, but with expressionistic or psychedelic elements (like the freaky green highlights in the "Be Prepared" sequence, and the stylized hellfire and skewed camera angles during the end battle) that tickled the sensibilities of film-buff parents. In contrast, this new "Lion King" is rooted deeply in the real, from its plain, sometimes drab colors to the animals' intricately rendered bone structures, muscles, and fur. Even when the characters are singing the familiar songs and repeating the familiar lines (or, in one hilarious and oddly postmodern interlude, quoting another Disney movie) the entire crew is working double-overtime to convince you that these creatures exist, that they shed fur and drop scat on the jungle floor. 

Favreau and Deschanel's camera (or "camera"—this is a digital movie built from ones and zeros) follows closely behind the animals as they gallop through grasslands, scale cliffs and hills, tumble and wrestle and fight, and romp through water and rain. It's as as if they were real animals with intelligence and agency who allowed camera crews to follow them rather than eating them. (Disney always released animal documentaries in addition to their animated and live-action features, and this one sometimes feels like a very basic one from the 1950s, where an editor would cut to an unremarkable close-up of a bear panting in the summer heat, and the narrator would tell you it was sad because it missed its mom.)

It's impossible to deny that this movie represents a technical milestone. We've seen digitized versions of real animals before (perhaps most strikingly in the recent "Planet of the Apes" movies, and in Favreau's "Jungle Book") but they're presented so matter-of-factly by Favreau that if they didn't talk and sing, and if you squinted just a bit, you'd never know they weren't the real deal. And the filmmaking itself adds credibility. The "camera" (again, there is no camera, just CGI) seems to have weight. When it "flies" over "Africa," you'd swear it had been attached to an actual helicopter. When the elder lion king, Mufasa ( James Earl Jones, the only actor from the original reprising his part), scales the walls of a canyon to rescue his son  from rampaging wildebeests unleashed by his evil brother Scar ( Chiwetel Ejiofor ), it's clear that the filmmakers have put a lot of thought into how a 400-pound alpha predator would do such a thing, whereas the original was content with "the lion climbs up the rock."

Of course there's something to be said for sticking to "the lion climbs up the rock" rather than proving you that know how to answer the question "How does a 400-pound lion climb up a rock?" The Dad Joke answer is, "Any way he wants to," but animators need more direction than that. It's easy to make a case that lions and hyenas and baboons and hornbills and antelopes drawn with ink and paint, with an eye towards the simple yet daring gesture rather than Nature Channel texture, register as more emotionally "real" than things that might be mistaken for photos, especially when they're doing vaudeville wordplay and delivering sad monologues and singing songs by Elton John and Tim Rice . 

But that doesn't fly, not anymore, because the movie industry has conditioned audiences to think that "reality" and "believability" are the greatest of all creative virtues, and that the live-action blockbuster is the classiest, most respectful way to tell a story. That's why visually daring animated films like " Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse " only make a fraction of the box office haul of more literal-minded live-action Marvel movies. And it's why almost every spectacle-driven live action (or "live action") blockbuster, from Marvel and DC to the " Star Wars " franchise and the American Godzilla films, and the Transformers, and even Pixar, are obsessed with making sure that countertops and pavement and glass and hair and skin and fur and fire and water look photographically real, and that everything moves believably even you're watching wisecracking toys or combat droids or city-destroying kaiju. To quote a friend, if you follow this creative impulse too slavishly, it's like using a magic wand to make a toaster . 

Where you fall on this stuff is anyone's guess, if you care about it at all. You might not, and that's OK. But it should be said that even if you're not obsessed with cinema minutia, this film is still a fascinating aesthetic experiment, less reminiscent of Favreau's previous photorealistic Disney animal picture, "The Jungle Book," than of Gus van Sant's 1998 remake of Alfred Hitchcock 's "Psycho," a curiosity that wasn't quite shot-for-shot but got eerily close. Watching this new "Lion King" reminded me of seeing the "Psycho" remake in a theater and hearing people scream their heads off at the film's jump scares, even though they were near-exact reproductions of things Hitchcock had done 28 years earlier, with the same music, but in color instead of black and white, and with different actors. 

Who deserves credit for inspiring that powerful emotional reaction in 1998? Alfred Hitchcock, for making "Psycho" in the first place? Or Gus van Sant, for realizing that the master's work was so fully realized that if he copied it as closely as possible, audiences would still scream in the same places 38 years later? If you retain as much of an original work as possible while reimagining it, is it a gesture of respect or timidity? Is the result a thought experiment, or just an easy way ("easy" in terms of imagination, not effort) to make lots of money by creating a slightly different version of a thing people already know they like? Maybe films like the new "Lion King" take the phrase "give the people what they want" absolutely literally, and that's the whole (cynical?) point of their existence. But is slavish fidelity to an old text really what "the people" want? Or is it possible—to paraphrase a different showbiz maxim that's equally true—"the people" don't actually know what they want until someone shows it to them?

There are parts of the new "Lion King" where that second maxim comes into play, and it's beguiling, sometimes glorious. Like many "live action" Disney remakes of animated movies, this one is much longer than the original, and yet (like Favreau's "Jungle Book," still the best entry in this photorealistic remake series) it uses the extra length to make a statement, creating a sense of stillness. This might sound odd in a review of a CGI-driven 2019 Disney movie, but Favreau often appears to be trying to create a mid-twentieth-century motion picture made with the shiniest new tech—the kind of movie that took its time and gave viewers a bit of mental breathing space, permitting them to contemplate what they were seeing as they saw it.

There are times when the movie clears out music and dialogue and just lets you hear natural sounds and watch lions, giraffes, elephants, birds, rodents, and insects move through the frame. This movie uses the motif of "light" more subtly than the original, because it's striving to look "real" rather than stylized, and the result is a great example of how CGI animation can achieve a different kind of poetic effect that's different from the kind that old-fashioned cel animators might attempt. 

When Mufasa tells young Simba that his domain is "everything the light touches," the scene is illuminated by a golden, dawn-like glow, and when they have what proves to be their final conversation before Mufasa's death (that's not a spoiler, folks—"Hamlet" is 400 years old) the sunlight ebbs and gives way to darkness, and the sky fills with stars, foreshadowing Mufasa taking his place among the ghosts of kings and queens up above. A sequence two-thirds of the way through takes a brief transitional bit from the original—Rafiki the baboon realizing that Simba is still alive by catching his scent in the wind—and builds a lengthy, chain-reaction sequence around it, with a tuft of Simba's fur traveling, like the " Forrest Gump " feather, from the Eden-like jungle where he's exiled himself to the pridelands. 

And while the photorealism of the animals snuffs out any possibility of subtle "human" facial expressions, the creatures' bodies provide more characterization detail than you might expect. Especially impressive is the way Scar's physique contrasts with Mufasa's. The former is angular and raw, a Mick Jagger or David Bowie sort of body that lopes and limps, while the latter is a magnificent bruiser like Dave Bautista or Dwayne Johnson , so thick and powerful that when he moves, you can imagine the air parting around him. When Scar licks his paw and grooms himself absentmindedly as his brother pontificates, the gesture comes across as decadent and contemptuous even though it looks like something a real lion would do. That's filmmaking magic of a different kind than was contained in the source, and it's not necessarily lesser. 

What distinguishes all these choices is that they aren't blatantly trying to re-create or pay homage to something that viewers loved in an original work, in order to comfort us and press our nostalgia buttons. That means they can stand on their own two paws, making unflattering comparison harder. When the movie is doing its own thing, you don't think about whether Donald Glover's performance as the adult Simba is better or worse or merely different from Matthew Broderick's Simba (he's different—more internalized and shell-shocked), or whether Beyonce gives a better acting performance as Nala than Moira Kelly (she doesn't, except when she sings), or whether Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen are a funnier meerkat-warthog duo than Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella (call it a tie, and ties go to actors with Broadway-caliber singing voices). The movie is never less interesting than when it's trying to be the original "Lion King," and never more compelling than when it's carving out negative space within a very familiar property and strutting to the beat of its own, new music. 

The worst thing you can say about this movie, and perhaps the highest compliment you can pay it, is to say it would be even more dazzling if it told a different story with different animals and the same technology and style—and maybe without songs, because you don't necessarily need them when you have images that sing. 

Matt Zoller Seitz

Matt Zoller Seitz is the Editor at Large of RogerEbert.com, TV critic for New York Magazine and Vulture.com, and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in criticism.

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The Lion King (2019)

Rated PG for sequences of violence and peril, and some thematic elements.

118 minutes

Donald Glover as Simba (voice)

Beyoncé Knowles as Nala (voice)

James Earl Jones as Mufasa (voice)

Chiwetel Ejiofor as Scar (voice)

Alfre Woodard as Sarabi (voice)

John Oliver as Zazu (voice)

John Kani as Rafiki (voice)

Seth Rogen as Pumbaa (voice)

Billy Eichner as Timon (voice)

Eric André as Azizi (voice)

Florence Kasumba as Shenzi (voice)

Keegan Michael Key as Kamari (voice)

JD McCrary as Young Simba (voice)

Shahadi Wright Joseph as Young Nala (voice)

Amy Sedaris as (voice)

• Jon Favreau
• Jeff Nathanson

Writer (story)

• Brenda Chapman

Writer (characters)

• Irene Mecchi
• Jonathan Roberts
• Linda Woolverton

Cinematographer

• Caleb Deschanel
• Mark Livolsi
• Hans Zimmer

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Book Review: “The Lion King: The Full Film Script”

Hi everyone!

I purchased “ The Lion King: The Full Film Script ” to review. The book was released last week along with “ The Little Mermaid: The Full Film Script “. The books are by the editors of Canterbury Classics and are nicely bound, especially for the retail price of $19.99. “ The Lion King: The Full Film Script ” has about 160 pages.

What I wasn’t sure about when ordering the book is if the information and stories shared would be culled from various sources or if the authors would speak to the filmmakers. The acknowledgements page does state that producer Don Hahn and co-directors Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff took time to share stories and memories. Also, artwork came from the Walt Disney Research Animation Library and in particular with help from Fox Carney.

The Introduction includes some history of how the film came about, including mentioning that “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” was reworked over and over, including the possibility of it being sung by Timon and Pumbaa. It also explains that the book is “an annotated and illustrated” edition of the complete screenplay.

Throughout the book, there is a decent amount of concept art and pages with information about “The Lion King” as the script progresses. For example, when Simba meets Timon and Pumbaa, that is when we see concept art and stories about the two.

The creation of the “Be Prepared” scene and wildebeest stampede are among topics discussed. Producer Don Hahn said a lot of computer graphics dollars went to the stampede because of how difficult it would be to draw. A page about Timon and Pumbaa discusses the hiring of Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella, who were on Broadway together at the time and actually auditioned together for the hyenas.

The book also includes song lyrics.

If you are a fan of The Lion King , I do recommend “ The Lion King: The Full Film Script ” for your collection. It is a nicely written and put together book.

This article includes affiliate links that help support Mousesteps.

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The following is a list of minor books , such as coloring books, sticker books, and other such activity books, related to The Lion King franchise.

• 1 Coloring books
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• 4 Puzzle books
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• 6 Board books
• 7 Bath books
• 8 References

Coloring books [ ]

Sticker books [ ], activity books [ ], puzzle books [ ], flip books [ ], board books [ ], bath books [ ], references [ ].

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About the book, product details.

• Publisher: Studio Fun International (June 11, 2019)
• Length: 72 pages
• ISBN13: 9780794443474
• Grades: 1 - 3
• Ages: 6 - 8

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The Lion King (Disney The Lion King) (Big Golden Book) Hardcover – Picture Book, July 2, 2019

• Reading age 3 - 7 years
• Part of Series Disney's New Classics
• Print length 48 pages
• Language English
• Grade level Preschool - 2
• Dimensions 8.88 x 0.29 x 11.06 inches
• Publisher Golden/Disney
• Publication date July 2, 2019
• ISBN-10 0736439773
• ISBN-13 978-0736439770
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Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Golden/Disney; Illustrated edition (July 2, 2019)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 48 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0736439773
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0736439770
• Reading age ‏ : ‎ 3 - 7 years
• Grade level ‏ : ‎ Preschool - 2
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.2 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.88 x 0.29 x 11.06 inches
• #73 in Children's Africa Books
• #181 in Children's Lion, Tiger & Leopard Books (Books)

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Screen Rant

The lion king prequel has already fixed the biggest 2019 remake mistake.

The first trailer for Mufasa: The Lion King has proven that the prequel to the 2019 remake has already fixed the latter film’s biggest issue.

• Mufasa: The Lion King fixes the hyper-realism issue of 2019's Lion King remake, making characters more expressive and emotional in the new trailer.
• The trailer suggests Mufasa combines the best of The Lion King and The Jungle Book, offering emotional investment in the characters.
• Mufasa: The Lion King explores Mufasa's early days, possibly delving into his strained relationship with Scar in the prequel.

Mufasa: The Lion King has already proven to have fixed the biggest issue with 2019's remake of The Lion King . The announcement of Mufasa: The Lion King 's story shocked many, primarily because Academy Award-winning director Barry Jenkins would helm the project. Similarly, many were surprised given the lackluster critical reception to 2019's remake of The Lion King, though the film's commercial success was enough reason to warrant a continuation in the eyes of Disney.

2019's The Lion King earned a worldwide box office of $1.6 billion despite stooping to a 52% critical rating on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes.

Despite the initial shock of the film's announcement, the trailer for Mufasa: The Lion King was released in April 2024, teasing the continuation of Disney's live-action Lion King franchise. The trailer was suitably action-packed and stunningly realized , capturing the CGI environments of the first movie while highlighting the film's main characters, including Donald Glover and Beyonce who return for Mufasa . The aforementioned critical rating of 2019's The Lion King was never attributed to aspects like the cast, music, or storyline of the film, but instead, one other aspect that looks to have been fixed by Mufasa: The Lion King.

Blue Ivy Carter's Movie Debut Couldn't Be More Perfect

Mufasa: the lion king’s trailer has more expressive animals than 2019’s lion king, the animals in 2019's the lion king looked too photo-realistic to have emotional expression..

Undoubtedly the most criticized aspect of 2019's The Lion King was, ironically, how realistic the animals looked. While movies like 2016's The Jungle Book and 2019's The Lion King were praised for how brilliant the CGI environments and animals that inhabit them looked, the latter movie suffered from trying to perfect this technology. Despite allowing the environments of the African savannah to come to vibrant life in unbelievable ways not present in The Jungle Book , the actual characters themselves suffered from looking too much like lions, warthogs, meerkats, or hyenas with little to no emotion.

Animals like Baloo, Bagheera, and Shere Khan were suitably expressive in 2016's The Jungle Book.

This lack of expressiveness on the animals' faces in The Lion King robbed the film of much of its emotional weight, something that Mufasa: The Lion King 's first trailer promises to fix. Immediately, it becomes clear that the CGI animals in Mufasa look much more expressive than they did in The Lion King. Scenes such as Mufasa's face reflecting in a raindrop, or the looks of terror and joy on his face in the final shots of the trailer prove how much more emotion the characters have in the prequel than they did in 2019's film.

Mufasa: The Lion King Is Blending The Best Aspects Of Live-Action Lion King & Jungle Book

Mufasa's trailer combines the best elements of the jungle book and the lion king..

As alluded to, Mufasa: The Lion King makes it clear that it is blending the best aspects of both 2019's The Lion King and 2016's The Jungle Book. The Jungle Book had expressive animals that allowed the audience to emotionally invest in not only their stories but also their connections with human characters like Mowgli. If Mufasa: The Lion King 's trailer is anything to go by, the film has incorporated this emotion into the same characters who had little expressiveness in the first film.

That said, the very best of The Lion King 's CGI is still being utilized in Mufasa . As evident from the trailer's scenes involving snowy landscapes, the African deserts, and roaring rivers, Mufasa: The Lion King 's CGI environments will rival and potentially even surpass those from the 2019 film. This will allow Mufasa: The Lion King to retain the best elements of its predecessor - or successor given its prequel status - while fixing its biggest mistake and making its iconic characters expressive, powerful, and emotional.

Mufasa: The Lion King

Mufasa: The Lion King is a prequel to the live-action remake of the original Disney animated film, The Lion King. The film will follow Mufasa in his early days; further plot details are currently under wraps. The film will likely explore Mufasa and Scar's relationship and how it became as strained as it did. In the film, Timon and Pumba will return, with Billy Eicher and Seth Rogen reprising their roles.

'Mufasa: The Lion King': Release Date, Cast, and Everything We Know So Far About the Prequel Movie

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Does 'mufasa: the lion king' have a release date, is there a trailer for 'mufasa: the lion king', what is 'mufasa: the lion king' about, who stars in 'mufasa: the lion king', who is making 'mufasa: the lion king'.

Mufasa: The Lion King is the prequel to Disney's 2019 "live-action" remake of their animated classic The Lion King , which in the vein of other recent Disney remakes subs out colorful hand-drawn animation with photorealistic CG animation. Although this new Lion King received mixed reviews for ultimately being a shot-for-shot remake that critics claimed lacked the charm and personality of the original film, it still made over $1.6 billion worldwide , making even more money than its predecessor . Therefore, it's no wonder Disney wanted to follow up on this remake. The prequel movie is currently set to release in this Christmas , with a cast list that includes Aaron Pierre and Kelvin Harrison Jr. , among others.

Read on for a comprehensive, easy-to-read guide that will tell you everything you need to know about Mufasa: The Lion King , including exactly when it's being released, the full announced cast list, and who's directing it.

Mufasa: The Lion King

Simba, having become king of the Pride Lands, is determined for his cub to follow in his paw prints while the origins of his late father Mufasa are explored.

Mufasa: The Lion King will hit theaters on December 20, 2024 . The movie will have some steep competition in its opening weekend against a fellow family-friendly blockbuster: Sonic the Hedgehog 3 . Angel Studios' post-apocalyptic drama Homestead will also be opening on the same day. The follow-up movie was initially set to release on July 5, 2024 .

Mufasa will initially enjoy an exclusive theatrical release, although it will be made available to stream exclusively on the Disney+ streaming service at a later date alongside the 2019 film and the original 1994 movie.

The first teaser trailer for Mufasa: The Lion King was released by Disney on April 30, 2024. The teaser doesn't reveal much in the sense of the plot but it does reveal that the characters will be trekking through new landscapes in the movie as well as it being a partial sequel as well as a prequel to the 2019 movie.

The official synopsis for Mufasa: The Lion King reads:

“Mufasa: The Lion King” enlists Rafiki to relay the legend of Mufasa to young lion cub Kiara, daughter of Simba and Nala, with Timon and Pumbaa lending their signature schtick. Told in flashbacks, the story introduces Mufasa as an orphaned cub, lost and alone until he meets a sympathetic lion named Taka—the heir to a royal bloodline. The chance meeting sets in motion an expansive journey of an extraordinary group of misfits searching for their destiny—their bonds will be tested as they work together to evade a threatening and deadly foe.

When the project was first announced in 2020, it was said to be a sequel that cuts back and forth between the past and present, similar to The Godfather Part II . Even though publications have more recently defined this new movie as a prequel, the D23 teaser depicts Rafiki telling the backstory of Mufasa to Timon and Pumbaa, so maybe that's how the movie will shift between the past and present. After all, it's not so different from Timon and Pumbaa humorously narrating how they first met in the hand-drawn spinoff The Lion King 1 1/2 .

Aaron Pierre and Kelvin Harrison Jr. are set to voice Mufasa and Scar respectively. This comes after the two actors shared the screen as Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr in National Geographic anthology series Genius .

Pierre voices Mufasa, the kind and noble lion prince of the African Pride Lands. In the original Lion King and its 2019 remake, Mufasa is the king of the Pride Lands and the loving father of future king Simba. James Earl Jones voiced Mufasa in both versions so hopefully, Pierre retains the powerful booming voice that Jones used for his performance. Speaking of Pierre, the British actor reunites with Jenkins after he played a recurring role in the director's Prime Video miniseries The Underground Railroad . Pierre also popped up in the Superman prequel series Krypton and the M. Night Shyamalan film Old . Pierre wants to honor Jones' performance as Mufasa. The actor said :

"Well, first and foremost, I want to acknowledge that James Earl Jones is an enormous inspiration of mine. Massively. And I feel very honored to be walking into this role after him. I think the key difference will be that here we're exploring Mufasa in a different capacity. When Sir James Earl Jones portrayed him, this is Mufasa in his full capacity, in his rhythm, and I think here we're exploring Mufasa prior to that point. What does this young lion look like before he is who we know him as, and he is discovering his rhythm, how he conducts himself, how he engages with his community and his loved ones? So, I think that's the key thing. It's figuring it out."

Harrison Jr. voices Taka, aka Scar, Mufasa's conniving younger brother. In the original Lion King and its remake, Scar seeks to usurp Mufasa and Simba as king of the Pride Lands. Harrison got his start appearing in critically acclaimed indie movies such as It Comes At Night , Luce , and Waves , before moving on to high-profile films such as The Trial of the Chicago 7 , Cyrano , and Elvis . That said, this may be his biggest project yet.

John Kani voices Rafiki, the wise yet eccentric baboon sage and close companion of Mufasa. In the D23 teaser for Mufasa: The Lion King , Rafiki is reportedly seen recounting the backstory of Mufasa. Kani first voiced Rafiki in the 2019 remake of The Lion King , to which this new film is a prequel. The South African actor and playwright is also known for playing T'Chaka in MCU films Captain America: Civil War and Black Panther .

Billy Eichner voices Timon, a sarcastic yet caring meerkat who eventually befriends Simba. In the D23 teaser for Mufasa: The Lion King , Timon is seen listening to Rafiki about Mufasa's backstory. Keep in mind, Eichner first voiced Timon in The Lion King remake. He is also known for playing Craig Middlebrooks in the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation and for hosting the comedic game show Billy on the Street . Additionally, Eichner co-wrote and starred in the rom-com Bros .

Seth Rogen voices Pumbaa, the more childlike but still kindhearted warthog best friend of Timon who also becomes close with Simba. In the D23 teaser for Mufasa: The Lion King , Pumbaa is seen with Timon listening to Rafiki's retelling of Mufasa's origin. Just like his co-stars, Rogen first voiced Pumbaa in The Lion King remake. He is also known for appearing in not-so-family-friendly comedies such as The 40-Year-Old Virgin , Pineapple Express , and This is The End .

Also reprising their roles from the prior film are Donald Glover ( Atlanta ) as Simba and music icon Beyoncé Knowles-Carter as Nala. Beyoncé's daughter Blue Ivy Carter will also be making her acting debut in the movie as Simba and Nala's daughter Kiara. Preston Nyman ( A Small Light ) will be voicing Zazu, taking over from John Oliver who voiced the character in the 2019 movie. The rest of the cast of Mufasa: The Liong King includes Kagiso Lediga as young Rafiki, Tiffany Boone ( Nine Perfect Strangers ) as Sarabi, Mads Mikkelsen ( Another Round ) as Kiros, Thandiwe Newton ( Westworld ) as Eshe, Lennie James ( The Walking Dead ) as Obashi, Anika Noni Rose ( The Princess and the Frog ) as Afia, and Keith David ( The Princess and the Frog ) as Masego.

Cast in undisclosed roles are Braelyn Rankins ( 8-Bit Christmas ), newcomer Theo Somolu , Folake Olowofoyeku ( Bob Hearts Abishola ), musician Joanna Jones , Thuso Mbedu ( The Woman King ), Sheila Atim ( The Woman King ), Abdul Salis ( Love Actually ) and Dominique Jennings ( Sunset Beach ).

Even though Jon Favreau directed the first "live-action" Lion King movie, he will not be directing this prequel, possibly so that he can focus on his Star Wars series The Mandalorian . Instead, Barry Jenkins , the Academy Award-winning filmmaker behind Moonlight and If Beale Street Could Talk , will direct Mufasa: The Lion King . Despite winning an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay, Jenkins is currently not credited with writing the new film and will instead direct based on a screenplay from Jeff Nathanson , who wrote the 2019 Lion King . However, Jenkins is an established director with a lot of clout, so he is expected to still bring his artistic sensibilities to this high-budget Disney movie.

Speaking of high budget, Jenkins will most likely film Mufasa: The Lion King in virtual reality similar to how Favreau filmed his remake . Even though Jenkins has never directed an effects-heavy film, he will surely put this technology to good use. Here's what Jenkins has said about making Mufasa: The Lion King :

"I grew up with these characters, they mean so much to me. I think the work that Jeff Nathanson, the writer, did and going back into really helping children and anyone who ever loved this property understand what it takes. Kings aren't just born, they aren't just made. They have to become who they are through a series of events that a lot of people can relate to. So, in that standpoint, it fits very well with everything else I've done. So I feel no pressure, I just want to do a good job."

Producing the movie are Academy Award winner Adele Romanski ( Moonlight ) and Mark Ceryak ( Aftersun ). It has also been revealed that Lin-Manuel Miranda has written new music for the movie, marking his latest collaboration with Disney after The Little Mermaid , Moana , Encanto , Mary Poppins Returns , and the Hamilton movie among others.