Released during the Disney Renaissance of the late 1980s and 90s, it’s hard to believe that The Lion King wasn’t thought to be destined for greatness. But the story behind the film paints a surprising picture of doubt, complications, and controversy.
To celebrate its 30th anniversary, let’s look back at one of Disney’s best animated films of all time.
The Lion King’s iconic opening sequence sees animals from across Africa travel to Pride Rock where the wise and magical mandrill Rafiki (Robert Guillaume) presents Prince Simba (Jonathan Taylor Thomas), the newborn son of King Mufasa (James Earl Jones) and Queen Sarabi (Madge Sinclair). He mistakenly believes that being king means a life of freedom and endless fun but is frequently reminded by his father and his father’s majordomo Zazu (Rowan Atkinson) that it’s a duty, not a lifestyle.
Scar (Jeremy Irons), Mufasa’s black-mained brooding bro spends his days lounging about, living for the drama, only speaking in disdain. Like his nephew, he has a narrow idea of what it takes to be king of the Pride Lands. And because Disney loves a dead parent, Mufasa dies in the first act at the paws of his own brother.
With the help of his loyal hyena crew, Shenzi (Whoopi Goldberg), Banzai (Cheech Marin), and Ed (Jim Cummings), Scar stages a coup and orchestrates an elaborate end for his more powerful sibling. After Mufasa falls to his death, a moment that left many kids rather traumatized, Scar tells Simba it’s his fault. Instead of running home, he runs away. Of course, Sarabi would never blame her son for what happened but if Simba knew that then we wouldn’t have a movie.
Simba meets the film’s meerkat-warthog comic relief duo, Timon (Nathan Lane) and Pumbaa (Ernie Sabella). They bring him into their lax way of life, and over the course of “Hakuna Matata,” Simba becomes an adult (voiced by Matthew Broderick, who shows up in the latter half of the 88-minute runtime). Meanwhile, Scar succeeds in stealing the throne. But then he doesn’t really do anything.
Originally conceived in the late 1980s and titled King of the Jungle, this coming-of-age tale about a lion cub destined to inherit the throne from his father went through a few directors and writers before Roger Allers (Aladdin) and Rob Minkoff (The Haunted Mansion) officially took over. The film was in production alongside Pocahontas, a feature that Disney execs assumed would be the more successful of the two.
As kids, the story made sense and the pacing was fine. However, a closer examination reveals some narrative flaws as a result of multiple rewrites. Ultimately, Irene Mecchi (Brave), Jonathan Roberts (James and the Giant Peach), and Linda Woolverton (Maleficent) became the screenwriters. However, there are at least 17 “story” credits and 8 “additional story material” credits. The core story is clearly inspired by William Shakespeare’s Hamlet and if you ask some people, it’s a blatant copycat of Japan’s animated series Kimba the White Lion, though Disney and the film’s creators adamantly say otherwise.
By far, what stands out the most in The Lion King is the soundtrack as well as Hans Zimmer’s (Dune) Oscar-winning score. Composer Elton John (The Road to El Dorado) and lyricist Tim Rice (Aladdin) are responsible for the chill-inducing tracks we know and love: the majestic opening with “Circle of Life”; Simba’s upbeat and colorful “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King” featuring childhood friend Nala (Niketa Calame); Scar’s fabulously sinister villain song “Be Prepared”; Timon and Pumbaa’s problem-free philosophical tune “Hakuna Matata”; and the romantic “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” which sets a particular mood for Simba’s reunion with adult Nala (Moira Kelly).
After its breakout success, The Lion King became its own media franchise across various mediums, notably the Tony Award-winning stage production of the same name, the third-longest-running musical in Broadway history. Jon Favreau’s (Jungle Book) 2019 remake had technological advances and nostalgia on its side as well as a stacked cast featuring Donald Glover, Beyoncé, and James Earl Jones reprising his iconic role.
But no matter how much there is to admire, you can’t help but feel compelled to go home and watch the original. This photorealistic, Planet Earth-esque version lacked the vibrancy and heart of the original (since actual animals don’t emote like animated animals). Still, it grossed over a billion dollars at the worldwide box office. This year, we’re getting a prequel origin story, Barry Jenkins’ Mufasa: The Lion King, which hits theaters on December 20, 2024.
The Lion King was groundbreaking for its time and has endured as one of Disney’s greatest achievements. Three decades later, the hand-drawn animation, innovative camera techniques, and distinct characters still hold up.
The Lion King is available to stream on Disney+.
