Jon Favreau's photorealistic reimagining of the 1994 classic, The Lion King (2019), brings the Pride Lands to life with groundbreaking visual effects, following the journey of the young prince Simba as he embraces his royal destiny.
Synopsis
Simba, a young lion cub and heir to the throne of the Pride Lands, idolizes his father, King Mufasa. However, Mufasa's brother, Scar, covets the title for himself and orchestrates a deadly betrayal that forces Simba into exile. Lost and alone, Simba befriends a pair of carefree outcasts, Timon and Pumbaa, but as the Pride Lands wither under Scar's tyranny, Simba must find the courage to return home and take back what is rightfully his.
Information |
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Language |
English |
Country |
United States |
Premiere date |
July 19, 2019 |
Running time |
118 minutes |
Genre |
Animation Adventure Drama Family Musical |
Budget |
$260,000,000 |
Box Office |
$1,663,075,401 |
Crew |
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Directed by |
Jon Favreau |
Produced by |
Jon Favreau Jeffrey Silver Karen Gilchrist |
Written by |
Jeff Nathanson |
Music by |
Hans Zimmer |
Cinematography |
Caleb Deschanel |
Edited by |
Mark Livolsi Adam Gerstel |
Production Co. |
Walt Disney Pictures Fairview Entertainment |
Distributed by |
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
Top Cast |
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Official Trailer |
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Movie Collection |
Movie Order: #01 in The Lion King (Reboot) Collection
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The Plot
The Circle of Life
In the majestic expanse of the Pride Lands of Africa, the sun rises over a kingdom ruled by a noble pride of lions from the summit of Pride Rock. King Mufasa and Queen Sarabi welcome their newborn son, Simba, who is ceremoniously presented to a vast gathering of animals by Rafiki the mandrill, the kingdom’s spiritual shaman and trusted advisor. As the future king, the young cub is thrust into a world of reverence and expectation.
As Simba grows, Mufasa takes him across the Pride Lands, explaining the delicate responsibilities of kingship. He teaches his son about the "Circle of Life," a delicate balance that connects all living things, from the ants in the grass to the antelopes they hunt. However, not everyone celebrates the future king. Mufasa’s younger brother, Scar, covets the throne for himself. Consumed by jealousy, he begins plotting to eliminate both Mufasa and Simba to seize control of the kingdom.
Shadows in the Elephant Graveyard
Scar initiates his plan by preying on Simba's curiosity. He deceives Simba and his best friend Nala—to whom Simba is betrothed—into venturing beyond the safety of the pride's borders to explore a forbidden elephant graveyard. There, the cubs are ambushed by a pack of spotted hyenas led by the ruthless Shenzi, Kamari, and Azizi. Just as the hyenas close in, Mufasa arrives, having been alerted by his majordomo, the hornbill Zazu. The King fights off the scavengers and rescues the cubs.
Although Mufasa is disappointed in Simba's disobedience, he forgives his son. Under the starlight, he offers a profound lesson, explaining that the great kings of the past look down upon them from the stars, and that one day, he too will watch over Simba from the night sky. Meanwhile, Scar visits the humiliated hyenas in the graveyard. He strikes a dark bargain, convincing them to aid him in overthrowing Mufasa. In exchange for their loyalty in his coup, Scar promises them unrestricted hunting rights within the Pride Lands.
The Stampede and the King's Fall
Scar sets a lethal trap for his brother and nephew. He lures Simba into a deep gorge, telling the cub that here he will find his "Roar" and ensuring him that after this, he will never be called a cub again. While Simba waits, Scar signals the hyenas to drive a massive herd of wildebeest into the gorge, creating a terrifying stampede. Scar then rushes to Mufasa, feigning panic and informing him of Simba’s peril, knowing the King will stop at nothing to save his son.
Mufasa plunges into the chaos, successfully rescuing Simba and placing him on a safe ledge. However, the effort leaves Mufasa clinging perilously to the gorge's edge. He begs his brother for help, but Scar looks down with cold malice. Refusing to pull Mufasa up, Scar strikes, sending his brother falling backward into the stampede to his death. Alone with the traumatized Simba, Scar convinces the cub that the tragedy was entirely his fault. He advises Simba to flee the kingdom and never return. As Simba runs, Scar orders the hyenas to kill him, but the cub manages to escape their pursuit.
Exile and Hakuna Matata
With Mufasa dead and Simba presumed dead, Scar returns to Pride Rock. He announces to the pride that both the King and the Prince perished in the stampede. Stepping forward as the new King, Scar allows his hyena minions and their massive pack to invade the Pride Lands, upsetting the natural order. Far away, Simba collapses in a desert, exhausted and near death. He is rescued by Timon, a meerkat, and Pumbaa, a warthog, who are fellow outcasts.
Simba grows up in the lush jungle with his two new friends and other animals, adopting their carefree lifestyle and motto, "Hakuna Matata," which means "no worries" in Swahili. Years pass, and Simba matures into a powerful young lion, living in blissful ignorance of his past.
The Past Returns
Simba's peaceful life is interrupted when he rushes to rescue Timon and Pumbaa from a hungry lioness. To his shock, the attacker turns out to be Nala. The two reunite and realize their childhood friendship has blossomed into love. Nala urges Simba to return home, revealing the grim reality of Pride Rock: under Scar’s reign, the land has become a drought-stricken wasteland, and the pride is starving. Despite her pleas, Simba refuses to return, still burdened by the misplaced guilt over his father's death. He storms off, conflicted and angry.
In his solitude, Simba encounters Rafiki. The wise shaman tells Simba that Mufasa’s spirit lives on inside him. Looking up at the night sky, Simba is visited by the ghost of Mufasa, who reminds him of his true identity and commands him to take his rightful place as king. Realizing he can no longer run from his past, Simba resolves to return to the Pride Lands to set things right.
The Battle for Pride Rock
Aided by Nala, Timon, and Pumbaa, Simba sneaks back to Pride Rock, bypassing the legions of hyenas. He confronts Scar just as the tyrant strikes Queen Sarabi. Scar, surprised to see Simba alive, quickly recovers and begins to taunt his nephew, backing him to the edge of the rock while forcing him to admit his "role" in Mufasa's death to the pride. However, as Simba hangs off the edge, Scar leans in and whispers the terrifying truth: that he was the one who murdered Mufasa.
Enraged by this confession, Simba finds the strength to pin Scar down and forces him to reveal the truth to the rest of the lions. Scar attempts to defend himself, but his detailed knowledge of Mufasa's last moment—despite previously claiming he arrived at the gorge too late—exposes his lie. A massive battle erupts as Timon, Pumbaa, Rafiki, Zazu, and the lionesses fight off the hyenas.
The New King
Simba corners Scar at the very top of Pride Rock. Desperate, Scar begs for mercy and attempts to blame the hyenas for all his actions, calling them the "real enemy." Simba spares his uncle’s life but orders him to leave the Pride Lands forever. Scar pretends to submit but suddenly attacks his nephew. After a fierce duel, Simba manages to shove Scar off the summit. Scar survives the fall but finds himself surrounded by the hyenas, who overheard his treacherous attempt to betray them. They attack and kill their former leader.
With the usurper gone, Simba takes his rightful place as King, with Nala as his Queen. Over time, the Pride Lands recover from the drought and darkness. In a moment that mirrors the past, Rafiki presents Simba and Nala’s newborn cub to the assembled animals at Pride Rock, continuing the eternal circle of life.
