The Lion King Revisited is an upcoming 3D American adventure epic drama film directed by Jon Favreau and produced by Walt Disney Pictures. It is a computer animated remake of Disney's The Lion King franchise, particularly The Lion Guard. The film features Gabrielle Union reprising her role of Nala from the television series, as well as an ensemble voice cast consisting of Matthew Broderick, Ernie Sabella, Nathan Lane, Jeremy Irons, Diamond White, Joshua Rush, Lacey Chabert, Eden Riegel, Jason Marsden, Rachel Crow, Alfre Woodard, Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Max Charles, James Earl Jones, and Rob Lowe returning in a new role.
The film confirmed in 2019 following Disney's announcement to reboot The Lion King Reborn was executive-produced by Favreau. 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 voice cast signed in mid-2019, and principal animation began in July 2019, which lasted in two months. Composers Hans Zimmer, Elton John, and lyricist Tim Rice, all of whom worked on the original's soundtrack, returned to compose the score alongside Beau Black and Beyoncé, who assisted John in the reworking of the soundtrack. Christopher Willis also composed the film's score when Zimmer was not available at certain times.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, the film is currently held against its production, but a novelization based on the film was released early. It received positive reviews from fanfic critics, who praised the film's vocal performances, animation, music, and faithfulness to the source material, although its writing and runtime received some criticism. It also dedicates the memories of Madge Sinclair, Jerry Stiller, Jason Raize, Joe Ranft, Russi Taylor, Robert Guillaume, Suzanne Pleshette, and Mark Livolsi, who were all previously involved in the Lion King franchise.
Plot
Season 1
A young lion named Simba is to succeed his father, Mufasa, as King of the Pride Lands; however, after Simba's paternal uncle Scar murders Mufasa, Simba is manipulated into thinking he was responsible and flees into exile. After growing up in the company of the carefree outcasts Timon and Pumbaa, Simba receives valuable perspective from his childhood friend, Nala, and his shaman, Rafiki, before returning to challenge Scar to end his tyranny and take his place in the Circle of Life as the rightful King.
Season 2
Simba and Nala's daughter Kiara falls in love with Kovu, a male rogue lion from a banished pride that was once loyal to Scar. Kion is the son of King Simba and Queen Nala, the younger brother of Kiara and the prince of the Pride Lands. As the second-born of the Lion King, he is gifted with a power called the Roar of the Elders and becomes the leader of the Lion Guard, a team of animals who protect the Pride Lands and defend the Circle of Life. Kion, along with his friends Bunga the honey badger, Beshte the hippopotamus, Fuli the cheetah and Ono the egret, sets out to keep the Pride Lands safe and protected from animals who do not respect the Circle of Life.
Following Scar's resurrection in the volcano from Kion's use of the Roar in anger, the Lion Guard prepare to invade the Outlands by uniting the Pride Landers and a clan of hyenas led by Jasiri.
Season 3
In the final battle, the Pride Landers overpower a huge army of Outlanders, but Scar and Ushari incapacitate Kion, who obtain a scar across Kion's left eye. Weakened, Kion summons the Great Kings of the Past to destroy Scar by sending rain.
After Scar's defeat, the Lion Guard travels out of the Pride Lands of Africa and across the world to get to the Tree of Life to cure Kion and Ono from their battle injuries. Kion's team also gets a new member, a martial eagle named Anga who replaces Ono's position as the new keenest of sight after Ono lost his eyesight, while Ono gains a new position as the smartest. Separated by Simba's prejudice against the banished pride and a vindictive plot planned by Kovu's mother Zira, Kiara and Kovu struggle to unite their estranged prides and be together.
The Lion Guard returns to the Pride Lands, only to find out that the conflict has already been settled. Zira's daughter and Kovu's older sister, Vitani, forms her own Lion Guard in their absence, causing an argument between them and Kion's Lion Guard. However, after seeing Vitani's confidence in becoming a leader even without the Roar, Kion allows Vitani's Lion Guard to succeed his Guard as defenders of Pride Lands. Kopa, the eldest son of Simba and Nala, befriends Vitani, which emboldens the lions of Africa to stray into Asia, while undergoing a journey of self-identity to reclaim his throne. Kion and his friends return to the Tree of Life where Kion marries Rani and is crowned King of the Tree of Life with his close family and friends attending. This season closes with the last battle between the Lion Guard, the Pride Landers, the Outlanders, the Night Pride, and their hordes of enemies led by Scar, with Kopa taking Simba's rightful place as king of Pride Rock.
Voice Cast
- Main page: The Lion King Revisited/Credits
- Gabrielle Union as Nala
- Matthew Broderick as Simba
- Jeremy Irons as Scar
- Alfre Woodard as Sarabi
- James Earl Jones as Mufasa
- Rob Lowe as Kopa
- Ernie Sabella as Pumbaa
- Nathan Lane as Timon
- Khary Payton as Rafiki
- John Oliver as Zazu
- Whoopi Goldberg as Shenzi
- Keegan-Michael Key as Kamari
- Eric André as Azizi
- Cheech Marin as Banzai
- Jim Cummings as Ed
- Julie Kavner as Ma
- Jerry Stiller as Uncle Max
- Penny Johnson Jerald as Sarafina
- Eden Riegel as Kiara
- Max Charles as Kion
- Jason Marsden as Kovu
- Nika Futterman as Zira
- Andy Dick as Nuka
- Joshua Rush as Bunga
- Diamond White as Fuli
- Dusan Brown as Beshte
- Atticus Shaffer as Ono
- Bryana Salaz as Anga
- Maia Mitchell as Jasiri
- Andrew Kishino as Janja
- Fiona Riley as Binga
- Landry Bender as Makini
- Rachel Crow as Imara
- Peyton Elizabeth Lee as Rani
Episodes
- New Acquaintances for Timon
- The Circle of Life
- King for a Day
- Be Prepared
- Stampede
- Raising Simba
- The Famine
- Can You Feel the Love Tonight
- Battle for Pride Rock
- He Lives in You
- We Are One
- Return of the Roar
- Lions of the Outlands
- The Rise of Scar
- Snow Day
- Hyena Resistance
- Pride Landers Unite!
- The Ultimate Showdown
- Battle for the Pride Lands
- The Tree of Life
- Kiara's First Hunt
- The Unwelcome Stranger
- Love Will Find a Way
- Return to the Pride Lands
- The Series Finale Part 1 - Prince Kopa
- The Series Finale Part 2 - Epilogue: An Important Coronation
Reception
The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 90% with an average score of 7.5/10, based on 8 reviews. On Metacritic, it holds a rating of 69%.
