lion king american animated epic musical film produced released 32nd animated feature disney animated classics series story takes place kingdom lions africa influenced william_shakespeare hamlet film produced period known directed produced screenplay credited original songs written composer elton_john lyricist original scores written film features ensemble voice cast includes tells story young lion succeed father king uncle murders manipulated thinking responsible flees exile shame despair maturation living given valuable perspective childhood friend returning challenge end began meeting promoting europe wrote film treatment developed scripts signed director later joined production began concurrently wound attracting disney animators time staff traveled hell gate national park kenya research film setting animals left production decision turn film musical replaced joined project dissatisfied script story promptly rewritten nearly minutes animation sequences produced florida computer animation scenes notably sequence released june positive reaction critics praised film music story animation finished theatrical run highest grossing release second highest grossing film time garnered academy_awards achievement music film led derived works broadway adaptation direct video follow ups sequel lion king pride prequel parallel lion king television series release plot lion rules animals king birth queen son creates resentment younger brother knows nephew replaces heir throne grown young gives tour teaching responsibilities king circle life later day tricks best friend exploring forbidden elephant graveyard despite protests graveyard spotted named attack cubs alerted rescues actions night allied plot kill day gorge tells wait gets orders large herd gorge rescues tries climb gorge walls throws death finds body convinces responsible father death advises flee kingdom leaves orders kill escapes night announces pride killed steps forward new king allowing pack live running far away collapses exhaustion desert find nurse health subsequently grows jungle living life friends motto worries young adult rescues hungry turns reunite fall love urges return home telling pride lands food water feeling guilty father death refuses storms leaving disappointed angry exits jungle encounters friend advisor tells alive takes pond visited ghost sky tells rightful place king pride lands realizes longer run past goes home join agree help fight sees hit confronts death pushes edge reveals killed enraged forces reveal truth pride fend attempting escape begs mercy insisting family placing blame longer believes life grounds forever leaving appears comply attacks nephew fierce fight throws uncle survives fall attacked eaten alive attempt gone takes kingdom rain falls later restored glory looks happily kingdom presents newborn inhabitants continues voice cast son grows king pride lands provided adult singing voice respectively served supervising animators young adult voiced young provided singing voice father king pride lands film begins served supervising animator younger brother uncle throne served supervising animator best friend later wife provided singing voice respectively served supervising animators young adult provided voice young provided singing voice wise cracking self absorbed somewhat loyal best friends adoptive parents served supervising animator suffers best friend best friends adoptive parents served supervising animator wise old counseling jokes serves presents newborn cubs king queen animals served supervising animator serves king little calls served supervising animator mate mother leader hunting party served supervising animator serve animated sassy short tempered female leader trio aggressive hot headed prone complaining acting impulse dim talk communicating laughter voiced talks replaced certain lines prepared blew voice leader mother shown briefly talking mother production development idea conceived late conversation plane europe promote conversation topic story set africa came immediately jumped idea idea developed vice president creative affairs decided add elements involving coming age death ideas personal life experiences trials road politics saying film little bit november year author wrote treatment entitled king spent year writing drafts script titled king king jungle original version film different final film plot centered battle lions leader childhood friends leave kingdom lazy horrible character overthrown coming age producer completed decided attach project lions cool likened script king jungle animated special director initial director film later joined lead story man beauty beast october brought head story lead crew members including production designer took trip hell gate national park kenya order study gain appreciation environment film months story development work decided leave project clashed producers decision turn film musical intention making documentary like film focused natural aspects replaced producer joined production executive producer disney promoting vice president found script lacking clear theme establishing main theme leaving childhood facing realities world asked final rewrote story weeks meetings directors finished beauty beast script title changed king jungle lion king setting jungle savannah disney animated feature original story based existing work filmmakers said story inspired lives joseph moses bible william_shakespeare hamlet summer team joined screenwriter second screenwriter joining months later roberts took charge revision process fixing unresolved emotional issues script adding comic business lyricist worked closely writing team flying california month songs needed work narrative continuity rice lyrics reworked production end pinned development frequent animator saying completed scenes delivered response parts needed dialog changes casting voice actors chosen fit add characters instance cast directors found voice powerful similar lion jones commented years production dad instead grand king originally auditioned meeting recording studio actors time starred asked record directors laughed performance decided cast original intention reunite accepted play unavailable role changed female voiced cast adult early production years voice acting recorded actor discovered voiced premiere refused role comfortable going dramatic performance reversal fortune comedic role came performance inspired writers incorporate acting adding character lines idea animator watch reversal fortune damage pick facial traits animation development started concurrently animators decided work instead believing prestigious successful story artists faith project declaring reluctant accept job story wasn good writer saying worker film don know going want watch leading animators major work supervising character interest animal thirteen supervising animators california florida responsible establishing personalities setting tone film main characters animation leads main characters included young adult young adult nearly minutes film including wait king sequence animated disney facility ultimately artists animators technicians contributed course production weeks film released production affected earthquake shut studio required animators finish work home character animators studied real life animals reference disney film renowned wildlife expert visited studios occasions assortment lions savannah inhabitants discuss behavior help animators drawings authentic feel animators studied animal movements natural settings miami guidance wildlife expert pride lands modeled national park visited crew varied focal lengths lenses employed differ portrayal africa documentaries employ lenses shoot wildlife distance epic feel drew inspiration concept studies artist following request realism tried depict effects lens works painters characters animators learn draw legged animals story character development usage longer shots following characters use computers helped filmmakers present vision new ways sequence distinct characters created computer program multiplied hundreds shaded look like drawn animation given paths simulate real unpredictable movement herd specially trained animators technicians spent years creating half minute sequence computer animation caps helped simulate camera movements tracking shots employed coloring lighting particle effects music lyricist working composer songs invited write songs accepted condition finding composing partner unavailable producers accepted rice suggestion elton_john rice invitation fell busy musical john expressed interest writing ultra pop songs kids like adults movies pleasure mentioning possible influence jungle book felt music funny appealed kids adults john rice wrote original songs film circle life wait king prepared feel love tonight singer performance feel love tonight playing end credits dvd releases added song morning report based song discarded development eventually got featured live musical version film score composed hired based work films african settings power world apart supplemented score traditional african music choir elements arranged partners helped arrangements song production film original motion picture soundtrack released july fourth best selling album year billboard selling soundtrack soundtrack animated film certified diamond platinum recording_industry_association_of_america complete instrumental score film originally given release disney soundtrack commemorative 20th anniversary release inspired release rhythm pride lands songs use song lion sleeps tonight scene led disputes disney family south african composed song originally titled july family filed suit seeking million royalties disney february heirs reached legal settlement held worldwide rights licensed song disney undisclosed money release film trailer disney opted feature single scene entire opening sequence song circle life president said decision approach taken beauty majesty piece felt like probably best minutes film seen added circle life worked trailer came strong good ended bang trailer released november accompanying theaters completed audience reaction enthusiastic causing initial concerns afraid living expectations raised preview prior film release disney test screenings release accompanied extensive marketing campaign included tie ins merchandise accounting licensed products disney earned approximately billion products based film million toys christmas home media released vhs laserdisc united_states march disney masterpiece collection video series vhs tape contained special preview upcoming animated film title character voiced sings musical number colors wind addition deluxe editions formats released included film exclusive editions commemorative circle life concept art tape half hour making lion king certificate authenticity laserdisc deluxe edition contained film concept art making lion king added character design artwork concept art rough animation directors commentary vhs edition total double sided discs vhs tape quickly best selling time million tapes sold day ultimately sales totaled million home video versions went october film released vhs released dvd time titled disney line animated classic dvds dvd release featured versions film disc remastered version created release edited version release original theatrical version second disc bonus features included dvd release film soundtrack provided original track new making disney dvds equipped means seamless branching film viewed newly created scene short conversation film replaced complete song morning report special collector released containing dvd set exclusive character portraits new sketches created signed original character animators introductory book entitled journey featured changes film release including drawn wait king sequence alterations million copies dvd vhs units sold day release dvd boxed set lion king films disc special edition formats released december january film sequels went released october marks time film released high definition blu ray blu ray initial release produced different packages disc version blu ray dvd disc version blu ray dvd blu ray digital copy disc box set includes sequels lion king standalone single disc dvd release followed november diamond edition topped blu ray charts million copies sold film sold million blu ray units total leading million income reception box office lion king earned north_america territories worldwide total currently 29th highest grossing film sixth highest grossing animated film time worldwide highest grossing film frozen film highest grossing motion picture worldwide initial run having earned million ranked second highest grossing film time worldwide held record highest grossing animated feature film north_america outside north_america worldwide surpassed computer animated ice age dawn toy story prior release earnings run surpassed aforementioned films toy story rank second highest grossing animated film worldwide later downgraded sixth frozen remains highest grossing hand drawn animated film biggest animated movie years terms estimated attendance original theatrical run limited release north_america june playing theaters los_angeles new_york_city earned weekend june standing tenth place box office ranking average theater stands largest achieved weekend wide release followed june screens digital surround sound film led theaters implement newest sound systems grossed million time fourth biggest opening weekend earning highest sum disney film weekend box office earned rare rating end theatrical run spring earned second highest grossing film north_america outside north_america earned million initial run worldwide total million estimates film sold million tickets initial theatrical run releases large format film issued december large format theaters explained years got original release new generation kids haven seen particularly big screen given film digitally archived production restoration process easier providing scenes enhancements covered original deficiencies enhanced sound mix provided explained audience feel like middle movie weekend million locations theater average run ended conversion converted week limited theatrical issue subsequent blu ray release film opened number spot friday september million finished weekend million ranking number box office issue release earn number slot american weekend box office issue return march film achieved fourth highest september opening weekend time held second weekend earning place box office percent decline million box office observers expected film fall percent second weekend expecting place initial box office success theaters decided continue film weeks blu ray release scheduled half weeks theatrical release north_america release ended run theaters january gross outside north_america earned successful release disney plan theatrical releases beauty beast finding monsters inc little releases films achieved enormous success theatrical release ultimately cancelled box office mojo wrote reason version succeeded notion release fresh exciting felt timely given movie imminent blu ray release audiences hit releases year meaning novelty value definitely worn critical response released critical acclaim rotten_tomatoes film holds rating based reviews average rating ranked 56th animation movies site critical consensus reads emotionally stirring richly drawn beautifully animated stands tall disney classic family films metacritic film score based critics indicating universal acclaim reported audiences gave film rare grade roger_ebert gave stars called film drawn animated feature print review wrote saga deeply buried origins owes greek tragedy certainly hamlet learning experience entertainment television program film praised received mixed reaction compared previous disney films partner gave film said good earlier films beauty beast good film great washington_post called impressive achievement felt film spectacular manner nearly commonplace disney feature length animations enthusiastic end review saying tone epic scope appropriate grown ups kids truth told adults downright strange entertainment_weekly praised film writing resonance stand terrific cartoon emotionally movie critic praised film felt hugely entertaining blend music fun eye thrills doesn lack heart praised film saying new animated release disney expanding broad little mature sense films clearly conscious effort adults children happily generally stay far away cartoons succeeded reviewers problems film narrative staff guide wrote technically proficient entertaining offers memorable song score previous hits hasty dramatic resolution new_yorker considered despite good animation story felt like ing responses movie serves musical numbers silly comedy accolades lion king received nominations film win golden academy_awards best original song feel love tonight elton_john songs circle life nominated feel love tonight won grammy award best male vocal performance won best individual achievement story contribution saturn awards film nominated categories best performance younger actor win category film received nominations best sound film music lost categories speed respectively film received film music performed song feel love tonight film received nominations best song lost categories won kids choice award favorite movie kids choice awards ranked greatest film empire magazine june time named time best animated films june american_film_institute listed fourth best film animation genre afi list having previously afi years songs ranking controversies certain elements film considered bear resemblance 1960s japanese anime television jungle emperor known united_states characters having similar individual scenes similar composition believed initially fact working american version familiar japanese original director claimed unfamiliar time worked lion king came heard seen aware completed showed images worked develop story early days left help familiar didn course possible story ideas developed changed way story stronger certainly understand creators feeling angry felt stolen ideas inspired certainly acknowledge inspiration offer respect artists creation loyal assured place animation history director claimed unfamiliar know fact discussed long project experience disney aware like people claiming copyright infringement time stated story based africa unusual characters like bird created refuted rumours studio paid money disney explains rejected urges industry sue small weak company wouldn worth disney lawyers world protests raised scene appears word sex embedded dust flying sky conservative activist asserted message intended promote sexual animators stated letters spell sfx common special effects instead intended innocent signature created effects animation team protested animal portrayal researcher sued disney studios character organized animators visit observe sketch captive included ways help preserve wild interpreted represent anti immigrant black latino ethnic communities film criticised advancing fascist narrative portrayal lion kingdom circle life strong beautiful triumph powerless survive serving strong legacy sequels spin offs lion king related animated projects involved characters duo starred animated short stand featuring singing eponymous song released accompanying theatrical release tom duo received animated ran seasons episodes continued voice voiced addition disney released direct video films related sequel issued vhs film centers daughter falls love male lion raised pride followers outsiders saw release film dvd lion king prequel showing met parallel depicts characters events original movie june announced new series based film released called featuring second born broadcast television film titled return november airing series january video games film release different video games based released december main title developed published computers consoles created game boy version handled master system game gear version film sequel pride later inspired game games lion king playstation appeared game collection puzzle games 7th level later ported square enix series kingdom hearts features recurring summon playable lion king world known plotline loosely related later original film main characters lion king provides worlds featured action adventure game featured nintendo title stage adaptations produced musical stage adaptation premiered minneapolis minnesota july later opened broadway october musical directed featured songs movie rhythm pride lands new compositions elton_john musical arrangements new orchestral tracks musical successful broadway history winning tony awards including despite moving running day new_york longest running highest grossing broadway production history financial success led adaptations world inspired attractions retelling story film legend lion king featured recreation film life size characters ran disney world running live action minute musical revue movie festival lion king incorporates musical numbers routines live actors actor attraction opened april september similar version legend lion king featured paris
The Lion King