The Friendly Lion is a 2024 American computer-animated comedy musical film produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures. The film was directed by Andrew Stanton and features an ensemble voice cast consisting of Michael Sheen, Owen Laramore, Selena Gomez, Woody Harrelson, Jamie Lee Curtis, John Ratzenberger, Sylvester McCoy, John Malkovich, Amy Poehler, Omarion, and Jennifer Coolidge. It centers on a young lion named Creek who is unable to sing like other lions. To win the affections of a female lion named Melody, Creek may have to resort to his fine tap-dancing work.
The Friendly Lion | |
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Directed by | Andrew Stanton |
Produced by | Dana Murray |
Written by | Andrew Stanton C. S. Anderson |
Starring | Michael Sheen Owen Laramore Selena Gomez Woody Harrelson Jamie Lee Curtis John Ratzenberger Sylvester McCoy John Malkovich Amy Poehler Omarion Jennifer Coolidge |
Music by | Thomas Newman |
Cinematography | Jeremy Lasky Patrick Lin |
Edited by | Jason Hudak |
Production company | Walt Disney Pictures Pixar Animation Studios |
Distributed by | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
Release date | June 10, 2024 (Africa) June 24, 2024 (United States) |
Running time | 95 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $150 million |
Box office | $878 million |
The Friendly Lion premiered in Africa on June 10, 2024, and was theatrically released in the United States on June 24. It became the second highest-grossing animated film of 2024 (behind SeaWorld), with a total of $878 million worldwide at the end of the theatrical run. The film received critical acclaim for its animation, songs, subject matter, Thomas Newman's musical score, and the performances of Sheen, Laramore, and Gomez. It earned numerous awards: including a Flamingo Award, BAFTA Award, Annie Award, Golden Globe Award, and Academy Award for Best Animated Feature (losing all to Disney In The House 2). The Friendly Lion also won additional accolades: the Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media, the Black Reel Award for Oustanding Voice Performance, and the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation.