The Lion King (2019 film)

The Lion King
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Jon Favreau
Screenplay by	Jeff Nathanson
Based on	Disney's The Lion King by Irene Mecchi     Jonathan Roberts     Linda Woolverton[1]
Produced by	Jon Favreau Jeffrey Silver Karen Gilchrist
Starring	Donald Glover Seth Rogen Chiwetel Ejiofor Alfre Woodard Billy Eichner John Kani John Oliver Beyoncé Knowles-Carter James Earl Jones
Cinematography	Caleb Deschanel
Edited by	Mark Livolsi Adam Gerstel
Music by	Hans Zimmer
Production companies	Walt Disney Pictures Fairview Entertainment
Distributed by	Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Release dates	July 9, 2019 (2019-07-09) (Hollywood) July 19, 2019 (2019-07-19) (United States)
Running time	118 minutes[2]
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$250–260 million[3][4]
Box office	$1.657 billion[5]

The Lion King is a 2019 American musical drama film that is a photorealistically animated remake of the traditionally-animated 1994 film of the same name. Directed by Jon Favreau, written by Jeff Nathanson, and produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Fairview Entertainment, the film stars the voices of 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 (reprising his voice role as Mufasa). The plot follows Simba, a young lion who must embrace his role as the rightful king of his homeland following the murder of his father, Mufasa, at the hands of his uncle, Scar.

Plans for a remake of 1994's The Lion King were confirmed in September 2016 following box office successes for Disney remakes such as The Jungle Book (2016). Favreau was inspired by certain roles of characters in the Broadway adaptation and developed upon elements of the original film's story. Much of the main cast signed on in early 2017, and principal photography began in mid-2017 on a blue screen stage in Los Angeles. The virtual reality tools utilized in The Jungle Book's cinematography were used to a greater degree during the filming of The Lion King. Composers Hans Zimmer, Elton John, and lyricist Tim Rice returned to compose the score alongside Knowles-Carter, who assisted John in the reworking of the soundtrack and wrote a new song for the film, "Spirit", which she also performed. The film is one of the most expensive films ever made, as well as the most expensive Disney remake.

The Lion King premiered in Hollywood, Los Angeles on July 9, 2019, and was theatrically released in the United States on July 19, 2019, in the Dolby Cinema, RealD 3D, and IMAX formats. The film received mixed reviews from critics, with many criticizing the lack of originality and for being nearly identical to the original. However, it grossed over $1.6 billion worldwide during its theatrical run, and broke several box-office records, including becoming the highest-grossing animated film of all time from August 2019 to September 2024, the seventh-highest-grossing film of all time, and the second-highest-grossing film of 2019. The film received nominations for Best Animated Feature Film and Original Song categories at the 77th Golden Globe Awards and 25th Critics' Choice Awards. It was also nominated at 73rd British Academy Film Awards and 92nd Academy Awards, both for visual effects. Mufasa: The Lion King, a film which serves as both a prequel and a sequel, was directed by Barry Jenkins and released on December 20, 2024.