In the African savanna, a young lion prince idolizes his father, King Mufasa, and takes to heart his own royal destiny. But not everyone in the kingdom celebrates the new cub's arrival. Scar, Mufasa's brother—and former heir to the throne—has plans of his own. The battle for Pride Rock is ravaged with betrayal, tragedy, and drama, ultimately resulting in Simba's exile. With help from a curious pair of newfound friends, Simba will have to figure out how to grow up and take back what is rightfully his.
Information |
|
|---|---|
Language |
English |
Country |
United States |
Premiere date |
July 19, 2019 |
Running time |
118 minutes |
Genre |
Animation Adventure Drama Musical |
Budget |
$260,000,000 |
Box Office |
$1,663,075,401 |
Crew |
|
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 |
|
|
|
Official Trailer |
|
Movie Collection |
Movie Order: #01 in The Lion King (Reboot) Collection
|
The Plot
The Circle of Life
On the sun-drenched savanna of the Pride Lands, animals from every corner of the kingdom gather at the base of Pride Rock to celebrate a momentous occasion. King Mufasa and Queen Sarabi emerge from their den to present their newborn son and heir, Simba, to the gathered subjects. Rafiki, the mandrill shaman and royal advisor, lifts the young cub high into the air, and the animals bow in reverence to the future king as the "Circle of Life" echoes across the land.
Following the ceremony, the mood shifts in the lower caverns where Mufasa's younger brother, Scar, laments his lost position as first-in-line for the throne. His brooding is interrupted by Zazu, the hornbill majordomo, who announces Mufasa's arrival. Scar attempts to catch and eat Zazu but is stopped by the King. When Mufasa questions his absence at Simba’s presentation, Scar feigns ignorance and disdainfully turns his back on them. Though the brothers engage in a tense argument where Scar undermines Mufasa’s authority, Scar ultimately backs down, making it clear he will not challenge Mufasa physically. After Scar slinks away, Zazu suggests banishing him, but Mufasa refuses to take such action against his own brother.
Lessons of the Kingdom
That night, in his ancient baobab tree, Rafiki paints an image of Simba, marking the cub's place in history. Months pass, and Simba grows into a lively, curious cub. One morning, he eagerly wakes his father before dawn, begging to patrol the Pride Lands. Mufasa takes Simba to the summit of Pride Rock as the sun rises, showing him the vast kingdom bathed in light. He explains that a king’s time rises and sets like the sun and that one day, Simba will rule everything the light touches. However, Mufasa strictly forbids Simba from ever visiting the shadowy place beyond their borders.
Walking through the grasslands, Mufasa teaches his son about the delicate balance of the Circle of Life, which connects all living things, from the crawling ant to the leaping antelope. Their lesson is interrupted by Zazu, who delivers the morning report. Mufasa uses this opportunity to teach Simba how to pounce, and the cub successfully pins the hornbill to the ground. The playfulness ends abruptly when Zazu reports that hyenas have been spotted in the Pride Lands. Mufasa orders Simba to return home while he rushes off to handle the threat.
Venturing Beyond the Borders
Disappointed at being left behind, Simba returns to Pride Rock and attempts to hunt a beetle, only to fail. Scar watches the display with mock pity, commenting on the cub's lack of hunting skills. Seizing the opportunity, Scar manipulatively reveals that the "shadowy place" Mufasa mentioned is actually an Elephant Graveyard where only the bravest adult lions venture. He tricks Simba by telling him never to go there, knowing the cub's curiosity will get the better of him.
Simba immediately rushes to find his best friend, Nala, who is being bathed by her mother, Sarafina. He urges her to come to the water hole, but Sarabi insists that Zazu chaperone them. On the way, Zazu accidentally reveals that Simba and Nala are betrothed and destined to be married. The cubs are disgusted by the idea, and Simba declares that when he is king, he will do away with such traditions. Through a musical number ("I Just Can't Wait to Be King"), the cubs manage to lose Zazu in a crowd of animals and race off toward the forbidden horizon.
The Elephant Graveyard
Simba and Nala arrive at the desolate Elephant Graveyard. As they explore the giant skeletal remains, Nala senses danger and suggests they leave. Suddenly, they are surrounded by a clan of spotted hyenas led by the matriarch Shenzi, along with Kamari and Azizi. Zazu catches up and attempts to warn them that harming the future king will start a war with Mufasa, but the hyenas declare that a war between lions and hyenas has already begun.
The hyenas attack, forcing the cubs to flee into a network of tunnels. Just as they are cornered and about to be killed, Mufasa bursts onto the scene, fighting off the clan with immense power. He pins Shenzi down and warns her never to touch his son again before leading the terrified cubs away.
Under the Stars
Back in the safety of the Pride Lands, Mufasa orders Zazu to escort Nala home so he can speak to his son alone. He expresses his deep disappointment, telling Simba that he disobeyed a direct order and put Nala in danger. When Simba tearfully claims he was only trying to be brave like his father, Mufasa gently explains that being brave doesn't mean looking for trouble and admits that he was afraid of losing him.
Reconciling, the two play together under the night sky. Simba asks if they will always be together. Mufasa looks to the stars and tells Simba about the Great Kings of the Past, who look down from the stars to guide them. He promises Simba that he, too, will one day watch over him from the skies.
The Stampede
While the pride sleeps, Scar journeys to the Elephant Graveyard to forge a pact with the hyenas. He promises them unchecked hunting rights in the Pride Lands if they help him assassinate Mufasa and Simba ("Be Prepared"). The next morning, Scar leads Simba to a deep gorge, instructing him to wait there and practice his roar for his father. As Simba practices, scaring a lizard, the hyenas initiate the next phase of the plan by driving a massive herd of wildebeest into the gorge.
Simba is terrified as the stampede bursts into the valley. He scrambles up a dead tree to escape the crushing hooves. Meanwhile, Scar rushes to Mufasa, feigning panic as he reports that Simba is trapped in the gorge. Mufasa races to the scene and leaps into the chaotic stampede. He manages to grab Simba and lift him to a safe ledge but is dragged back down by the rushing herd. Battered and exhausted, Mufasa leaps for a cliff face and begins to climb out.
The King Falls
Mufasa struggles to the top of the ledge where Scar is waiting. He begs his brother for help, but Scar looks down with cold malice. Digging his claws into Mufasa’s paws, Scar leans in and whispers, "Long live the king," before heaving Mufasa backward. Mufasa falls to his death into the stampede below. Simba, who has climbed to a higher vantage point, watches in horror as his father disappears beneath the dust and hooves.
Once the herd passes, Simba rushes down to the gorge floor and finds his father’s lifeless body. He tries desperately to wake him, but to no avail. Scar approaches out of the dust, blaming Simba for the tragedy. He manipulates the grief-stricken cub into believing he is responsible for Mufasa's death and urges him to run away and never return. As Simba flees, Scar orders the hyenas to kill him. Simba escapes through a briar patch and falls off a ledge; Kamari and Azizi, believing the fall fatal and too lazy to check, decide to leave him be.
Exile and Hakuna Matata
That night, Scar informs the pride of the "tragic death" of both Mufasa and Simba. He steps forward as the new King and allows the hyena clan to move into the Pride Lands, marking the beginning of a dark era. Meanwhile, Simba collapses in a scorching desert, close to death. As vultures circle, he is rescued by a meerkat named Timon and a warthog named Pumbaa. The duo fends off the birds and decides to keep the lion, hoping he will protect them when he grows up.
When Simba awakens, he is despondent over his "crime." Timon and Pumbaa introduce him to their philosophy of "Hakuna Matata"—no worries. They take him to their lush jungle home, where Simba grows from a cub into a powerful adult lion, living a carefree life on a diet of grubs and leaving his past behind.
Shadows Over the Kingdom
Back in the Pride Lands, Scar’s reign has turned the kingdom into a wasteland. The hyenas and lions have overhunted, and famine strikes. Scar tries to force Sarabi to be his queen, but she rebuffs him. When Nala tries to leave to find help, Sarabi reminds her they must stay to defend their home. However, seeing the desperation, Nala eventually manages to escape the Pride Lands with the help of Zazu, who creates a distraction to let her slip past the hyenas.
In the jungle, Simba feels a lingering sadness despite his carefree life. One night, after Timon and Pumbaa laugh at his explanation of the Great Kings of the Past living in the stars, Simba wanders off alone. A tuft of his mane is carried by the wind across the savanna, eventually reaching Rafiki's tree. Smelling the dust, Rafiki realizes with joy that Simba is alive.
Reunion and Revelation
Nala, hunting far from home, stalks Pumbaa in the jungle. Simba rushes to defend his friend, and he and the lioness engage in a fierce fight. Nala uses a signature pin-move that Simba recognizes, and he realizes it is her. They reunite joyfully, much to the confusion of Timon and Pumbaa. As they walk through the jungle ("Can You Feel the Love Tonight"), Nala urges Simba to return and challenge Scar, revealing the devastation of the Pride Lands. However, Simba, still burdened by the guilt of his father’s death, refuses to return. Disappointed, Nala leaves him.
Simba wanders deeper into the jungle, trying to convince himself he doesn't care. He encounters Rafiki, who leads him on a chase to a small pool. Rafiki tells Simba to look at his reflection. As Simba gazes into the water, Rafiki urges him to look harder, revealing that Mufasa lives in him. A storm gathers, and Mufasa’s ghostly visage appears in the clouds. He speaks to Simba, commanding him to remember who he is and to take his rightful place as the one true King. The vision fades, leaving Simba with a renewed sense of purpose. He decides to return home.
The Battle for Pride Rock
Simba races back across the desert, catching up with Nala ("Spirit"). Together with Timon and Pumbaa, they infiltrate the desolate Pride Lands. While Timon and Pumbaa distract the hyenas, Simba and Nala reach Pride Rock. They arrive just as Scar strikes Sarabi for comparing him unfavorably to Mufasa. Simba steps out of the shadows, roaring in defense of his mother. Scar is terrified, believing he is seeing a ghost, but soon realizes Simba is alive.
Simba gives Scar an ultimatum: step down or fight. Scar, cornered, turns the pride against Simba by forcing him to admit he was responsible for Mufasa's death. Scar backs Simba to the edge of the peak, leaving him hanging perilously over the fire-filled abyss below—mirroring Mufasa’s final moments. Thinking he has won, Scar leans in and whispers the truth: he was the one who killed Mufasa.
Judgment by Fire
Enraged by the confession, Simba finds the strength to leap back up and pin Scar, forcing him to announce his crime to the pride. The battle erupts. The lionesses attack the hyenas, aided by Timon, Pumbaa, Rafiki, and Zazu. Simba chases Scar to the very top of Pride Rock. Cornered, Scar attempts to beg for mercy, blaming everything on the hyenas. Simba refuses to believe him and, repeating his father's words, tells Scar to run away and never return.
Scar appears to submit but suddenly throws embers into Simba’s face and attacks. The two engage in a brutal slow-motion duel amidst the flames. Simba eventually gains the upper hand and uses Nala’s fighting move to hurl Scar over the cliff edge. Scar survives the fall but finds himself surrounded by the hyenas. Shenzi, who overheard Scar throwing them under the bus, leads the clan in attacking and devouring their former leader as the flames consume them.
The King Returns
With Scar dead and the hyenas defeated, the heavy rains begin to fall, dousing the fire. Simba greets Sarabi and Nala before ascending the promontory of Pride Rock. As he looks up, the clouds part, and he hears his father's voice one last time: "Remember." Simba lets out a mighty roar, joined by the lionesses, reclaiming his kingdom.
Some time later, the Pride Lands are restored to their lush, green glory. Animals once again gather at Pride Rock as King Simba and Queen Nala watch Rafiki present their own newborn cub to the kingdom, continuing the circle of life.
