The Lion King 2019

Movie · 118 min · English · July 9, 2019

Adventure drama Animated Coming-of-age drama

Directed by Jon FavreauWritten by Jeff Nathanson

Starring Donald Glover, JD McCrary, Seth Rogen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Alfre Woodard

A 2019 American musical drama film, The Lion King is a photorealistic remake of the classic 1994 animated movie. This production was directed by Jon Favreau, written by Jeff Nathanson, and produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Fairview Entertainment. The voice cast includes Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Alfre Woodard, Billy Eichner, John Kani, John Oliver, Florence Kasumba, Eric André, Keegan-Michael Key, JD McCrary, Shahadi Wright Joseph, with Beyoncé Knowles-Carter and James Earl Jones (who reprised his role as Mufasa for the last time). The plot centers on young lion prince Simba, who is forced to leave his kingdom after his father Mufasa is killed by his uncle Scar, who takes over the throne. As Simba matures, he faces a choice between staying away or returning to challenge Scar and take his rightful place as king.

The idea for a remake of the 1994 version was officially announced in September 2016 after Disney’s successful remakes like The Jungle Book (2016). Favreau drew inspiration from specific character roles in the Broadway version and expanded on key story elements from the original film. Major members of the main cast were confirmed early in 2017, with principal filming beginning in mid-2017 on a blue screen stage located in Los Angeles. The visual effects techniques used in The Jungle Book were enhanced for this project. The musical score was handled by Hans Zimmer, Elton John, and lyricist Tim Rice, who all returned to work on the soundtrack. Beyoncé Knowles-Carter assisted John in reworking the songs and also composed a new track titled "Spirit," which she performed herself. With a production budget ranging from $250 to 260 million, this film ranks among the most expensive movies ever produced and is also one of Disney’s priciest remakes.

The Lion King had its premiere in Hollywood, Los Angeles on July 9, 2019, before opening in U.S. theaters on July 19 in Dolby Cinema, RealD 3D, and IMAX formats. Critics gave the film mixed reviews, often pointing out its lack of innovation and how it closely resembled the original. Despite this, the movie earned over $1.6 billion worldwide during its theatrical run, setting multiple box-office records. It became the highest-grossing animated film from August 2019 to September 2024, ranked seventh globally at the time of release, and was the second-highest-grossing film of 2019. The film received nominations in the Best Animated Feature Film and Original Song categories at the 77th Golden Globe Awards and 25th Critics' Choice Awards. It also earned nods at the 73rd British Academy Film Awards and 92nd Academy Awards, both for visual effects. A sequel titled Mufasa: The Lion King, functioning as both a prequel and continuation, was directed by Barry Jenkins and released on December 20, 2024.