The Lion King (2019 film)
The Lion King | |
---|---|
Directed by | Jon Favreau |
Screenplay by | Jeff Nathanson |
Based on | |
Produced by |
|
Starring | |
Cinematography | Caleb Deschanel |
Edited by |
|
Music by | Hans Zimmer |
Production companies |
|
Distributed by | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
Release dates |
|
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 The Lion King. 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 is set for release on December 20, 2024.
Plot
In the Pride Lands of Tanzania, a pride of lions rule over the animal kingdom from Pride Rock. King Mufasa and Queen Sarabi's newborn son, Simba, is presented to the gathering animals by Rafiki the mandrill, the kingdom's shaman and advisor. Mufasa's younger brother Scar, however, covets the throne.
Mufasa shows Simba the Pride Lands and forbids him from exploring beyond its borders. He explains to Simba the responsibilities of kingship and the "circle of life", which connects all living things. Scar manipulates Simba into exploring an elephant graveyard beyond the Pride Lands. There, Simba and his best friend, Nala, are chased by a clan of spotted hyenas led by the ruthless Shenzi. Mufasa is alerted by his majordomo, the hornbill Zazu, and rescues the cubs. Though upset with Simba for disobeying him and putting himself and Nala in danger, Mufasa forgives him. He explains that the great kings of the past watch over them from the night sky, from which he will one day watch over Simba. Scar visits the hyenas and convinces them to help him overthrow Mufasa in exchange for hunting rights in the Pride Lands.
Scar sets a trap for Mufasa and Simba, luring Simba into a gorge and having the hyenas drive a large herd of wildebeest into a stampede to trample him. He informs Mufasa of Simba's peril, knowing that he will rush to save him. Mufasa saves Simba but ends up hanging perilously from the gorge's edge. Scar refuses to help Mufasa, instead sending him falling to his death. He then tricks Simba into thinking that Mufasa's death was his fault and tells him to leave the Pride Lands and never return. He orders the hyenas to kill him, but Simba escapes. Unaware of his escape, Scar tells the pride that the stampede killed Mufasa and Simba, and that he had not arrived in time to save them. Scar steps forward as the new king, allowing the hyenas to live in the Pride Lands.
Simba collapses in a desert but is rescued by two outcasts, a meerkat and warthog named Timon and Pumbaa. Simba grows up in the oasis with his two new friends and other animals, living a carefree life under the motto "hakuna matata" ("no worries" in Swahili). Meanwhile, Scar attempts to convince Sarabi to be his queen, but she refuses.
A grown-up Simba rescues Timon and Pumbaa from a hungry lioness, who is revealed to be Nala. She and Simba reunite and fall in love. Nala urges Simba to return home, telling him that the Pride Lands have become a drought-stricken wasteland under Scar's reign. Still feeling guilty over Mufasa's death, Simba refuses and leaves angrily. He encounters Rafiki, who tells him that Mufasa's spirit lives on in Simba. Simba is visited by the spirit of Mufasa in the night sky, who tells him that he must take his rightful place as king. Realizing that he'd been running from his past for too long, Simba decides to return to the Pride Lands.
Aided by his friends, Simba sneaks past the hyenas at Pride Rock and confronts Scar, who is attacking Sarabi. Scar taunts Simba over his supposed role in Mufasa's death. He then reveals to Simba that he killed Mufasa. Enraged, Simba tells the truth to the pride. Scar attempts to defend himself, but his knowledge of Mufasa's last moment (despite previously claiming that he arrived too late at the gorge) exposes his role in Mufasa's death. Timon, Pumbaa, Rafiki, Zazu, and the lionesses battle the hyenas while Simba corners Scar near the top of Pride Rock. Scar begs for mercy and blames his crimes on the hyenas; Simba spares his life but orders him to leave the Pride Lands forever. Scar refuses and attacks Simba, but Simba throws him off the cliff after a brief fight. Scar survives the fall but is mauled to death by the hyenas, who overheard him betraying them. Afterwards, Simba takes over the kingship and makes Nala his queen.
With the Pride Lands restored, Rafiki presents Simba and Nala's newborn cub to the assembled animals, continuing the circle of life.
Voice cast
- Donald Glover as Simba:
A lion who is the crown prince of the Pride Lands. Glover said that the film will focus more on Simba's time growing up than the original film did, stating that "[Favreau] was very keen in making sure we saw [Simba's] transition from boy to man and how hard that can be when there's been a deep trauma".[6]- JD McCrary as young Simba.
- Seth Rogen as Pumbaa:
A slow-witted warthog who befriends and adopts a young Simba after he runs away from home. Rogen said, "[a]s an actor, I [...] don't think I'm right for every role—there are a lot of roles I don't think I'm right for even in movies I'm making—but Pumbaa was one I knew I could do well".[7] Favreau encouraged Rogen and Timon's Billy Eichner, who did their voice recordings together, to improvise a lot.[8] Rogen's casting would also mark the first time that Pumbaa was not played by Ernie Sabella, who had reprised the role for every Disney project the character was involved in up to that point. - Chiwetel Ejiofor as Scar:
The treacherous brother of Mufasa, the brother-in-law of Sarabi and the uncle of Simba who seeks to take the mantle of king of the Pride Lands. Ejiofor described Scar as more "psychologically possessed" and "brutalized" than in the original film.[7] Ejiofor said that "especially with Scar, whether it's a vocal quality that allows for a certain confidence or a certain aggression, to always know that at the end of it you're playing somebody who has the capacity to turn everything on its head in a split second with outrageous acts of violence—that can completely change the temperature of a scene".[7] Ejiofor also said that "[Scar and Mufasa's] relationship is completely destroyed and brutalized by Scar's way of thinking. He's possessed with this disease of his own ego and his own want".[6] Favreau said of casting Ejiofor, "[He] is just a fantastic actor, who brings us a bit of the mid-Atlantic cadence and a new take on the character. He brings that feeling of a Shakespearean villain to bear because of his background as an actor. It's wonderful when you have somebody as experienced and seasoned as Chiwetel; he just breathes such wonderful life into this character."[1] - Alfre Woodard as Sarabi:
The Queen of the Pride Lands, Mufasa's wife, and Simba's mother. - Billy Eichner as Timon:
A wise-cracking meerkat who befriends and adopts a young Simba after he runs away from home. Eichner described Timon as "physically the smallest character, but he has one of the bigger personalities, and I love the combination of those two things. I kind of played into Timon, as I've done with many characters of mine, [the notion that] he might be small in stature but he has a huge sense of entitlement, which is always funny to play," and that "when Timon speaks and when he's quote-unquote 'being funny', he's very loud and boisterous, but [his] singing allows this vulnerable side, a slightly softer side, especially in 'Can You Feel the Love Tonight' and other moments."[8] Eichner also talked about having "what some may consider a gay sensibility" that he brought to the table when he voiced Timon.[9] - John Kani as Rafiki:
A wise mandrill who serves as the shaman of the Pride Lands, and a close friend of Mufasa's.[10] Likening his role to that of a grandfather, Kani said, "Rafiki reminds all of us of that special wise relative. His wisdom, humor and his loyalty to the Mufasa dynasty is what warms our hearts towards him. [He's] always happy and wisecracking jokes as lessons of life and survival."[1] - John Oliver as Zazu:
A hornbill who is the majordomo to the King of the Pride Lands. Speaking of his role, Oliver said, "I think Zazu is basically a bird who likes structure. He just wants things to be as they should be. I think there are British echoes there because we tend to favor structure in lieu of having an emotional reaction to anything."[1] - Beyoncé Knowles-Carter as Nala:
Simba's childhood best friend and future love interest. According to Favreau, the character has a bigger role than in the original film.[11] Favreau felt that "part of [Beyoncé joining the film] is that she's got young kids, part of it is that it's a story that feels good for this phase of her life and her career, and she really likes the original very much. And then, of course, there are these wonderful musical numbers that she can be involved with, and my God... she really lives up to her reputation as far as the beauty of her voice and talent".[7][12]- Shahadi Wright Joseph as young Nala. Joseph reprises her role from the Broadway production.[13] Joseph chose to work on the film because "Nala inspires little girls [...] She's a great role model".[7]
- James Earl Jones as Mufasa:
The King of the Pride Lands, Sarabi's husband and the father of Simba. Jones reprises his role from the original 1994 animated film. According to Favreau, Jones' lines remain mostly the same from the original film.[7] Ejiofor said that "the comfort of [Jones reprising his role] is going to be very rewarding in taking [the audience] on this journey again. It's a once-in-a-generation vocal quality".[7][14] Favreau saw Jones' return as "carrying the legacy across" the original film and the remake, and felt that his voice's change in tonality compared to the original film "served the role well because he sounds like a king who's ruled for a long time".[15] - Florence Kasumba, Keegan-Michael Key, and Eric André voice Shenzi, Kamari, and Azizi: The Matriarch of the spotted hyena clan and her two lieutenants who join forces with Scar in order to kill Mufasa. While Shenzi is a character that was featured in the original 1994 animated film, Kamari and Azizi are the respective names of new characters loosely based on Banzai and Ed from the original film. The hyenas' characterizations were heavily altered from the original film's, as Favreau felt that they "had to change a lot" to fit the remake's realistic style, stating that "[a] lot of the stuff around them [in the original film] was very stylised".[16] Kasumba elaborated, declaring that "[t]hose hyenas were funny. These hyenas are dangerous."[1] Kasumba also voices Shenzi in the German dub of the film.[17]
Additionally, Penny Johnson Jerald voices Sarafina, Nala's mother.[1] Amy Sedaris, Chance the Rapper, Josh McCrary, and Phil LaMarr voice a guineafowl, a bushbaby, an elephant shrew, and an impala, respectively, Timon and Pumbaa's neighbors in the oasis.[1][18] J. Lee voices a hyena that chases after Timon and Pumbaa.[1]
Production
Development
On September 28, 2016, Walt Disney Pictures confirmed that Jon Favreau would be directing a remake of the 1994 animated film The Lion King, which would feature the songs from the 1994 film, following a string of recent box office successes of Disney live-action remake films such as Maleficent, Cinderella, Favreau's The Jungle Book, and Beauty and the Beast, with the latter three also earning critical praise.[19] On October 13, 2016, it was reported that Disney had hired Jeff Nathanson to write the screenplay for the remake.[20]
In November, talking with ComingSoon.net, Favreau said the virtual cinematography technology he used in The Jungle Book would be used to a greater degree in The Lion King.[21] Although some reports reported The Lion King would be a live-action film, it actually utilizes photorealistic computer-generated animation. Disney also did not describe it as live-action, only stating it would follow the "technologically groundbreaking" approach of The Jungle Book.[22] While the film acts as a remake of the 1994 animated film, Favreau was inspired by the Broadway adaptation of the film for certain aspects of the remake's plot, particularly Nala and Sarabi's roles.[23] Favreau also aimed to develop his own take on the original film's story with what he said was the spectacle of a BBC wildlife documentary.[24]
This serves as the final credit for film editor Mark Livolsi, who died in September 2018.[25] The film is dedicated to him.[1]
Casting
In mid-February 2017, Donald Glover was cast as Simba, with James Earl Jones reprising his role as Mufasa from the 1994 film.[26] In April 2017, Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen were cast to play Timon and Pumbaa, respectively.[27] In July 2017, John Oliver was cast as Zazu.[28] In August 2017, Alfre Woodard and John Kani were announced to play Sarabi and Rafiki, respectively.[29][30]
Earlier in March 2017, it was announced that Beyoncé Knowles-Carter was Favreau's top choice for the role of Nala and that the director and studio would be willing to do whatever it took to accommodate her busy schedule.[31] Later on November 1, 2017, her role was confirmed in an official announcement,[32][33] which also confirmed that Chiwetel Ejiofor would play the role of Scar, and announced that Eric André, Florence Kasumba, and Keegan-Michael Key would be the voices of Azizi, Shenzi, and Kamari while JD McCrary and Shahadi Wright Joseph would be the voices of young Simba and young Nala, respectively.[34][35][36][37][38] In November 2018, Amy Sedaris was announced as having been cast in a role created for the film.[39] Director John Favreau stated that the film's predominantly black cast was a timely update that brought greater authenticity to the film's African inspirations.[40]
Visual effects
The Moving Picture Company, the lead vendor on The Jungle Book, provided the visual effects, which were supervised by Robert Legato, Elliot Newman, and Adam Valdez.[41] The film uses "virtual-reality tools", according to Visual Effects Supervisor Rob Legato.[42] Virtual Production Supervisor Girish Balakrishnan said on his professional website that the filmmakers used motion capture and VR/AR technologies.[43] According to Favreau, MPC worked together with tech firms Magnopus and Unity Technologies to build the film's technology platform using the Unity game engine.[44]
MPC was in charge of all the VFX shots for the film. There are 1,490 VFX shots.[45] The animals were designed from art and photo references. From that, the characters were built; all the rigging, shapes, textures, and furs were rendered step-by-step for further improvement. After that, the animation of the animals was crafted by hand, based on the reference clips. The movements, muscles, eyes, facial expressions, and the way the animals breathe was animated for more than 30 species. The environment was created entirely in CGI from reference materials such as high-definition photos of the African landscape. All the FX simulations—such as water, dirt and fire—were created by combining VR technology with cameras shots so that scenes could be digitally built within a VR-simulated environment.[24] New software developed for the movie made it possible to create scenes with the shaky-cam look of a handheld camera.[46] Sean Bailey, Disney's President of Production, said of the film's visual effects, "It's a new form of filmmaking. Historical definitions don't work. It uses some techniques that would traditionally be called animation, and other techniques that would traditionally be called live action. It is an evolution of the technology Jon [Favreau] used in Jungle Book".[47]
Rather than have animators do everything, the team used artificial intelligence to allow virtual characters to behave in ways that mimicked real animals.[48] The sole non-animated shot in the entire film is the sunrise in the opening scene.[45][49]
Music
Hans Zimmer, who composed the 1994 animated version, returned to compose the score for the remake with Pharrell Williams as a collaborator.[50] Elton John also returned to rework his musical compositions from the original film before his retirement,[51] with Knowles-Carter assisting John in the reworking of the soundtrack.[52] John, the original film's lyricist, Tim Rice, and Knowles-Carter were also slated in 2018 to create a new song for the film.[53] However, the collaboration between Knowles-Carter and John did not pan out as the unreleased song was not added to the official soundtrack.[54] John and Rice also wrote a new song for the film's end credits, titled "Never Too Late" and performed by John.[55]
"Spirit", performed by Knowles-Carter and written by herself, Ilya Salmanzadeh, and Labrinth, was released on July 9, 2019, as the lead single from the soundtrack.[56] The film also features all the songs from the original film, a cover of The Tokens' "The Lion Sleeps Tonight", and the song "He Lives in You" from Rhythm of the Pride Lands and the Broadway production.[55] The soundtrack, featuring Zimmer's score and John and Rice's songs, was released digitally on July 11, 2019, and physically on July 19, 2019.[55]
Knowles-Carter also produced and curated an album titled The Lion King: The Gift, which features "Spirit", as well as songs inspired by the film. The album was released on July 19, 2019.[56]
Marketing
The first teaser trailer and the official teaser poster for The Lion King debuted during the Dallas Cowboys' annual Thanksgiving Day game on November 22, 2018.[57][58] The trailer was viewed 224.6 million times in its first 24 hours, becoming the then 2nd-most-viewed trailer in that time period.[59] A special sneak peek featuring John Kani's voice as Rafiki and a new poster were released during the 91st Academy Awards on February 24, 2019.[60] On April 10, 2019, Disney released the official trailer featuring new footage which revealed Scar, Zazu, Simba and Nala (both as cubs and as adults), Sarabi, Rafiki, Timon and Pumbaa, and the hyenas.[61] The trailer was viewed 174 million times in its first 24 hours, which was revealed on Disney's Investor Day 2019 Webcast.[62] On May 30, 2019, 11 individual character posters were released.[63] A special sneak peek featuring Beyoncé Knowles-Carter's, Billy Eichner's, and Seth Rogen's voices as Nala, Timon, and Pumbaa, respectively, was released on June 3, 2019.[64] A special sneak peek featuring Knowles-Carter and Donald Glover's voices as Simba and Nala singing "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" and also featuring James Earl Jones' voice as Mufasa, was released on June 20, 2019.[65] On July 2, 2019, Disney released an extensive behind-the-scenes featurette detailing the various aspects of the film's production along with seven publicity stills featuring the voice actors facing their animal counterparts.[66] All-in-all, Disney spent around $145 million promoting the film.[67]
Novelization
A tie-in novelization of the film written by Elizabeth Rudnick was published by Disney Publishing Worldwide on June 4, 2019.[68]
Shot-for-shot claim
The trailers of the film led to a claim of its being a shot-for-shot remake of Disney's 1994 film. On December 23, 2018, Sean Bailey, Disney's President of Production, said that while the film will "revere and love those parts that the audience wants", there will be "things in the movie that are going to be new".[47] On April 18, 2019, Favreau stated that "some shots in the 1994 animated film are so iconic" he couldn't possibly change them, but "despite what the trailers suggest, this film is not just the same movie over again",[69] and later said "it's much longer than the original film. And part of what we're doing here is to (give it more dimension) not just visually but both story-wise and emotionally."[70]
On May 30, 2019, Favreau said that some of the humor and characterizations are being altered to be more consistent with the rest of the film,[71] and this remake is making some changes in certain scenes from the original film, as well as in its structure.[24] On June 14, 2019, Favreau said that, while the original film's main plot points would remain unchanged in the remake, the film would largely diverge from the original version, and hinted[clarification needed] that the Elephant Graveyard, the hyenas' lair in the original film, will be replaced by a new location.[16] The film is approximately 30 minutes longer than the original.[72] Despite Favreau's claims, upon release, the film was criticized by fans and critics alike for being nearly identical to the original, with many citing its overall lack of originality as a major flaw.[73]
Release
Theatrical
The Lion King premiered in Hollywood on July 9, 2019.[74] The film was theatrically released in the United States on July 19, 2019,[75] in IMAX and 3D.[76][77] It is one of the first theatrical films to be released on Disney+, alongside Aladdin, Toy Story 4, Frozen II, Captain Marvel, and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.[78] The film began its international rollout a week before its domestic release, starting with July 12 in China.[79]
Home media
The Lion King was released by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment on Digital HD on October 11, 2019, followed by a DVD, Blu-ray, and Ultra HD Blu-ray release on October 22.[80] It started streaming on Disney+ on January 28, 2020.[81]
Reception
Box office
The Lion King grossed $543.6 million in the United States and Canada, and $1.113 billion in other territories, for a worldwide total of $1.657 billion.[5] $63 million came from IMAX.[82]
The film had a global debut of $446 million, the ninth-largest of all time and the biggest opening for an animated film.[83] On July 30, 2019, The Lion King passed the $1 billion mark at the global box office.[84] The Lion King became the highest-grossing animated film of all time, a title it held until September 2024 when it was surpassed by Inside Out 2.[85][86][N 1] the highest-grossing musical film of all time,[88] the highest-grossing remake of all time, the second-highest-grossing film of 2019,[89] and the seventh-highest-grossing film of all time.[90] Deadline Hollywood calculated the net profit of the film to be $580 million, when factoring together all expenses and revenues.[67]
United States and Canada
Beginning on June 24, 2019 (which marked the 25th anniversary of the release of the original film), in its first 24 hours of pre-sales, The Lion King became the second-best pre-seller of 2019 on Fandango in that frame (behind Avengers: Endgame), while Atom Tickets reported it was their best-ever first-day sales for a family film.[91] Three weeks prior to its release, industry tracking projected the film would gross $150–170 million in its domestic opening weekend.[92][93] By the week of its release, estimates had the film debuting to as much as $180 million from 4,725 theaters, beating Avengers: Endgame's record of 4,662.[4] The film made $77.9 million on its first day, including $23 million from Thursday night previews.[94] It went on to debut to $191.8 million over the weekend, the highest opening total of the Disney reimaginings of animated films (beating Beauty and the Beast's $174.8 million), a July release (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2's $169.2 million)[N 2] and Favreau's career (Iron Man 2's $128.1 million).[95][96] The film had a slightly higher-than-expected drop of 60% in its second weekend, but still topped the box office with $76.6 million.[97][98] It was dethroned by newcomer Hobbs & Shaw in its third weekend but still grossed $38.5 million, crossing the $400 million mark in the process.[99][100] On August 21, it became the second animated film to have grossed $500 million at North America box office, after Incredibles 2.[101] At the end of the film's box office run, it was the second highest-grossing film of 2019 in this region behind Avengers: Endgame.[102]
Other territories
The film was expected to gross around $450 million over its first 10 days of a global release, including $160–170 million from its worldwide opening weekend.[4] In China, where it released a week prior to the rest of the world, the film was projected to debut to $50–60 million.[79] It ended up opening to $54.2 million, besting the debuts of The Jungle Book and Beauty and the Beast.[103] Over its first 8 days of global release, the film made a total of $751 million, including $351.8 million from overseas territories. This included $269.4 million from its opening weekend (sans China), with its largest countries being the United Kingdom, Ireland and Malta ($20.8 million), France ($19.6 million), Mexico ($18.7 million), Brazil ($17.9 million), South Korea ($17.7 million), Australia ($17.1 million), and Russia ($16.7 million, second-largest ever in the country), as well as $6 million in the Netherlands, the best opening of a film ever in the country.[83] As of September 16, 2019, the film's top 10 largest markets were China ($120.4 million), the United Kingdom, Ireland and Malta ($91.3 million), France ($79 million),[104] Brazil ($69.1 million, second-highest all time in the country), Japan ($60 million), Germany ($53.8 million), Mexico ($51.8 million), Russia ($47.3 million), Australia ($42.8 million), and Italy ($40 million).[105][106] The film became the first animated and musical film to gross $1 billion at overseas box office.
As of September 2019, the film became the highest-grossing film of all time in the Netherlands ($30.2 million), surpassing previous record held by Titanic ($28.5 million including re-release)[107] and South Africa (R107.6 million, $7.29 million), surpassing Black Panther in local currency terms (in dollar terms, is still second-highest of all time).[108] Meanwhile, the film become the highest-grossing films of 2019 in many other countries and regions: Austria,[109] Belgium and Luxembourg,[110] Bulgaria,[111] France, Algeria, Monaco, Morocco and Tunisia,[112] Italy,[113] Lithuania,[114] Norway,[115] Portugal and Angola,[116] Russia,[117] Serbia and Montenegro, Slovenia,[118] Sweden,[119] Switzerland,[120] and Spain.[121] It is also the highest-grossing foreign film of 2019 in Poland[122] In India, the film grossed $26.3 million, making it the fourth-highest-grossing Hollywood or foreign films of all time, highest-grossing animated film of all time (both local and foreign films), and one of top 50 highest-grossing films of all time in India.[123][124] In Europe, Middle East, and Africa the film surpass Avengers: Endgame to become the fourth-highest-grossing film of all time and highest-grossing film of 2019 across the region.[125]
Critical response
The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a critics' approval rating of 52% with an average rating of 6/10, based on 437 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads: "While it can take pride in its visual achievements, The Lion King is a by-the-numbers retelling that lacks the energy and heart that made the original so beloved—though for some fans that may just be enough."[126] It is the highest-grossing film with a "rotten" rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Metacritic gave the film a weighted average score of 55 out of 100, based on 54 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[127] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale, and those at PostTrak gave the film a four out of five stars.[94]
Some critics praised the fidelity to the original, while others criticized it for its lack of originality.[128] Kenneth Turan at the Los Angeles Times called the film "polished, satisfying entertainment."[129] Todd McCarthy at The Hollywood Reporter considered it to be inferior to the original, noting, "The film's aesthetic caution and predictability begin to wear down on the entire enterprise in the second half."[130] At The Guardian, Peter Bradshaw found the film "watchable and enjoyable. But I missed the simplicity and vividness of the original hand-drawn images."[131] Among the vocal performances, the roles of Eichner and Rogen as Timon and Pumbaa, respectively, received particular praise by critics,[132][133][134][135] with The A.V. Club's A. A. Dowd proclaiming: "Ultimately, only Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen, as slacker sidekicks Timon and Pumbaa, make much of an impression; their funny, possibly ad-libbed banter feels both fresh and true to the spirit of the characters—the perfect remake recipe."[136]
William Bibbiani of TheWrap wrote in his review, "Jon Favreau's remake looks incredibly literal, but the digital animal performers lack the facial expressions and body movement to tell the story."[137] Sreeparna Sengupta of The Times of India praised the film, giving it a score of 3.5/5 and stating "For those who haven't seen the original, 'The Lion King' (2019) is certainly worth a watch for its gorgeous visuals and technical genius."[138] Helen O'Hara of Empire gave the film 3/5 stars, saying, "The great circle of life has thrown up a gorgeous, star-studded story, but trading feeling for realism means that we lose something of the original film's excellence."[139] Matt Zoller Seitz of RogerEbert.com gave the film 3/4 stars, saying, "The worst thing you can say about this movie, and perhaps the highest compliment you can pay it, is to say it would be even more dazzling if it told a different story with different animals and the same technology and style—and maybe without songs, because you don't necessarily need them when you have images that sing."[140] Kevin Maher of The Times gave the film 4/5 stars, praising it as an improvement over the original, though he criticized the ending as "descend[ing] into a sprawling Avengers-style donnybrook with little dramatic resonance."[141] Edward Porter of The Sunday Times gave the film 3/5 stars, praising the visuals and performances, but criticizing the lack of expressiveness of the characters' faces.[142]
A. A. Dowd, writing for The A.V. Club, summarized the film as "Joyless, artless, and maybe soulless, it transforms one of the most striking titles from the Mouse House vault into a very expensive, star-studded Disneynature film." Dowd bemoaned the film's insistence on realism, commenting, "We're watching a hollow bastardization of a blockbuster, at once completely reliant on the audience's pre-established affection for its predecessor and strangely determined to jettison much of what made it special."[136] Scott Mendelson at Forbes condemned the film as a "crushing disappointment": "At almost every turn, this redo undercuts its own melodrama by downplaying its own emotions."[132] David Ehrlich of IndieWire panned the film, writing, "Unfolding like the world's longest and least convincing deepfake, Jon Favreau's (almost) photorealistic remake of The Lion King is meant to represent the next step in Disney's circle of life. Instead, this soulless chimera of a film comes off as little more than a glorified tech demo from a greedy conglomerate—a well-rendered but creatively bankrupt self-portrait of a movie studio eating its own tail."[133]
Elton John, who worked on the film's soundtrack, disowned the film and stated "The new version of The Lion King was a huge disappointment to me, because I believe they messed the music up. Music was so much a part of the original and the music in the current film didn't have the same impact. The magic and joy were lost."[143]
Accolades
Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
People's Choice Awards | November 10, 2019 | Movie of 2019 | The Lion King | Nominated | [144] |
Family Movie of 2019 | Nominated | ||||
Animated Movie Star of 2019 | Beyoncé | Won | |||
Hollywood Music in Media Awards | November 20, 2019 | Best Original Song – Feature Film | Ilya Salmanzadeh, Labrinth and Beyoncé (for "Spirit") | Nominated | [145] |
Hollywood Post Alliance | November 21, 2019 | Outstanding Visual Effects – Feature Film | The Lion King | Won | [146] |
Guinness World Record | 2020 | Highest-grossing remake at the global box office | The Lion King | Won | [147] |
Satellite Awards | December 19, 2019 | Best Animated or Mixed Media Feature | Jon Favreau | Won | [148] |
Best Original Song | Ilya Salmanzadeh, Labrinth and Beyoncé (for "Spirit") | Nominated | |||
Best Visual Effects | Andrew R. Jones, Robert Legato, Elliot Newman and Adam Valdez | Nominated | |||
Capri Hollywood International Film Festival | January 2, 2020 | Best Original Song | Ilya Salmanzadeh, Labrinth and Beyoncé (for "Spirit") | Won | [149] |
Best Sound Editing | The Lion King | Won | |||
Best Sound Mixing | Won | ||||
Golden Globe Awards | January 5, 2020 | Best Animated Feature Film | The Lion King | Nominated | [150] |
Best Original Song – Motion Picture | Ilya Salmanzadeh, Labrinth and Beyoncé (for "Spirit") | Nominated | |||
Alliance of Women Film Journalists Awards | January 10, 2020 | Time Waster Remake or Sequel Award | The Lion King | Nominated | [151] |
Critics' Choice Movie Awards | January 12, 2020 | Best Visual Effects | The Lion King | Nominated | [152] |
Best Song | Ilya Salmanzadeh, Labrinth and Beyoncé (for "Spirit") | Nominated | |||
Golden Eagle Award | January 24, 2020 | Best Foreign Language Film | The Lion King | Won | [153] |
Grammy Awards | January 26, 2020 | Best Pop Solo Performance | Beyoncé (for "Spirit") | Nominated | [154] |
Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media | The Lion King | Nominated | |||
Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media | Hans Zimmer | Nominated | |||
Best Song Written for Visual Media | Ilya Salmanzadeh, Labrinth and Beyoncé (for "Spirit") | Nominated | |||
Visual Effects Society Awards | January 29, 2020 | Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature | Robert Legato, Tom Peitzman, Adam Valdez, Andrew R. Jones | Won | [155] |
Outstanding Animated Character in a Photoreal Feature | Gabriel Arnold, James Hood, Julia Friedl, Daniel Fortheringham (for "Scar") | Nominated | |||
Outstanding Created Environment in a Photoreal Feature | Marco Rolandi, Luca Bonatti, Jules Bodenstein, Filippo Preti (for "The Prideland") | Won | |||
Outstanding Virtual Cinematography in a CG Project | Robert Legato, Caleb Deschanel, Ben Grossman, AJ Sciutto | Won | |||
Outstanding Effects Simulations in a Photoreal Feature | David Schneider, Samantha Hiscock, Andy Feery, Kostas Strevlos | Nominated | |||
Casting Society of America | January 30, 2020 | Animation | Sarah Halley Finn and Jason B. Stamey (Associate) (tied with Toy Story 4) | Won | [156] |
Art Directors Guild Awards | February 1, 2020 | Animated Film | James Chinlund | Nominated | [157] |
British Academy Film Awards | February 2, 2020 | Best Special Visual Effects | Andrew R. Jones, Robert Legato, Elliot Newman and Adam Valdez | Nominated | [158] |
Black Reel Awards | February 7, 2020 | Outstanding Original Song | Ilya Salmanzadeh, Labrinth and Beyoncé (for "Spirit") | Nominated | [159] |
Outstanding Voice Performance | Chiwetel Ejiofor | Won | |||
Donald Glover | Nominated | ||||
James Earl Jones | Nominated | ||||
Outstanding Production Design | James Chinlund | Nominated | |||
Guild of Music Supervisors Awards | February 7, 2020 | Best Song Written and/or Recorded for a Film | Ilya Salmanzadeh, Labrinth and Beyoncé (for "Spirit") | Nominated | [160] |
Academy Awards | February 9, 2020 | Best Visual Effects | Robert Legato, Adam Valdez, Andrew R. Jones and Elliot Newman | Nominated | [161] |
NAACP Image Awards | February 22, 2020 | Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance | Donald Glover | Nominated | [162] |
James Earl Jones | Won | ||||
Alfre Woodard | Nominated | ||||
Outstanding Song - Traditional | Ilya Salmanzadeh, Labrinth and Beyoncé (for "Spirit") | Won | |||
Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards | May 2, 2020 | Favorite Animated Movie | The Lion King | Nominated | [163] |
Favorite Female Voice from an Animated Movie | Beyoncé | Won | |||
Saturn Awards | October 26, 2021 | Best Fantasy Film Release | Nominated | [164] |
Prequel
On September 29, 2020, Deadline Hollywood reported that a follow-up film was in development with Barry Jenkins attached to direct.[165] While The Hollywood Reporter said the film would be a prequel about Mufasa during his formative years, Deadline said it would be a sequel centering on both Mufasa's origins and the events after the first film, similar to The Godfather Part II. Jeff Nathanson, the screenwriter for the remake, has reportedly finished a draft.[166][167] In August 2021, it was reported that Aaron Pierre and Kelvin Harrison Jr. had been cast as Mufasa and Scar respectively.[168] The film will not be a remake of The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, the 1998 direct-to-video sequel to the original animated film.[169] In September 2022 at the D23 Expo, it was announced that the film will be titled Mufasa: The Lion King and that it will follow the titular character's origin story. Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner, and John Kani will reprise their roles as Pumbaa, Timon, and Rafiki, respectively. The film is scheduled to release on December 20, 2024.[170][171]
References
Notes
- ^ According to Disney, the film was not an anіmated fіlm but a live-action reboot.[87]
- ^ This was surpassed by Deadpool & Wolverine in 2024.
Citations
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "The Lion King Press Kit" (PDF). wdsmediafile.com. Walt Disney Studios. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 10, 2019. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
- ^ "The Lion King (PG)". British Board of Film Classification. July 4, 2019. Archived from the original on July 21, 2019. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
- ^ Giardina, Carolyn (July 19, 2019). "The Lion King' "Virtual Production" Could Be a Game-Changer for Filmmaking". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on August 1, 2019. Retrieved August 2, 2019.
- ^ a b c D'Alessandro, Anthony; Tartaglione, Nancy (July 16, 2019). "'The Lion King' Expected To Leave A Big Paw Print Around The World With $450M+ Total By Sunday – Preview". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on July 22, 2019. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
- ^ a b "The Lion King (2019)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Archived from the original on November 8, 2019. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
- ^ a b What To Expect From The Characters in the Upcoming 'The Lion King' Adaptation. Entertainment Weekly (YouTube). April 25, 2019. Event occurs at 0:19. Archived from the original on July 21, 2019. Retrieved April 29, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g Snetiker, Marc (April 25, 2019). "The Lion King: EW visits the set of Disney's rule-breaking beast of a remake". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on August 2, 2019. Retrieved February 3, 2018.
- ^ a b Snetiker, Marc (May 3, 2019). "The Lion King: How Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen put a new twist on Timon and Pumbaa". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on September 23, 2019. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
- ^ Vary, Adam (July 13, 2019). "Billy Eichner Wants More LGBTQ Characters in Animated Movies". BuzzFeed News. Archived from the original on September 2, 2019. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
- ^ "Lion King 2019: First teaser trailer released for new film". BBC. November 23, 2018. Archived from the original on November 23, 2018. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
- ^ Mizoguchi, Karen (June 24, 2019). "Beyoncé 'Wrote and Performed' a Brand-New Song for Lion King Soundtrack, Jon Favreau Confirms". People. Archived from the original on June 25, 2019. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
- ^ Snetiker, Marc (April 26, 2019). "How Jon Favreau's The Lion King landed Beyoncé". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on April 26, 2019. Retrieved May 2, 2019.
- ^ Truitt, Brian (March 23, 2019). "Meet Shahadi Wright Joseph, the breakout horror warrior in Jordan Peele's 'Us'". USA Today. Archived from the original on March 24, 2019. Retrieved March 29, 2019.
- ^ Snetiker, Marc (April 26, 2019). "The Lion King director recalls James Earl Jones' 'powerful' return as Mufasa". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on April 26, 2019. Retrieved May 2, 2019.
- ^ Travis, Ben (June 12, 2019). "The Lion King: Jon Favreau On The Return Of James Earl Jones – Exclusive Image". Empire. Archived from the original on June 12, 2019. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
- ^ a b Houghton, Rianne (June 14, 2019). "The Lion King director reveals the biggest change from the original". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on June 14, 2019. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
- ^ "Deutsche Synchronkartei | Filme | Der König der Löwen". www.synchronkartei.de. Archived from the original on July 11, 2019. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
- ^ Bell, Breanna (July 10, 2019). "Chance the Rapper Says He Joined 'The Lion King' Cast as a 'Nostalgia Consultant'". Variety. Archived from the original on July 11, 2019. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
- ^ "Disney and Jon Favreau Joining Forces on "The Lion King"". The Walt Disney Company. September 28, 2016. Archived from the original on September 29, 2016. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
- ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (October 13, 2016). "Disney's Live-Action 'Lion King' Taps Jeff Nathanson As Writer". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on October 15, 2016. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
- ^ Busch, Jenna (November 30, 2016). "Jon Favreau to Use VR Tech for Live-Action Lion King". ComingSoon.net. Archived from the original on December 2, 2016. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
- ^ Amidi, Amid (September 28, 2016). "Get It Right: Disney Is Doing An Animated—Not Live-Action—Remake of 'The Lion King'". Cartoon Brew. Archived from the original on September 29, 2016. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
- ^ Stidhum, Tonja Renée (June 28, 2019). "The Lion King: Beyoncé's New Secret Song and How She Helped Director Jon Favreau's 'Cool' Stock Rise". The Root. Archived from the original on June 28, 2019. Retrieved June 28, 2019.
- ^ a b c Yell, Joshua (May 30, 2019). "How Jon Favreau Directed The Lion King Inside a Video Game". IGN. Archived from the original on June 5, 2019. Retrieved June 12, 2019.
- ^ "Mark Livolsi, Film Editor on 'The Devil Wears Prada,' 'The Blind Side' and 'The Lion King,' Dies at 56". The Hollywood Reporter. October 4, 2018. Archived from the original on October 7, 2018. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
- ^ Gonzalez, Sandra (February 18, 2017). "Donald Glover, James Earl Jones cast in Disney's live-action "Lion King"". CNN. Archived from the original on July 28, 2017. Retrieved February 18, 2017.
- ^ "Seth Rogen and Billy Eichner to Play Pumbaa and Timon in 'Lion King' (Exclusive)". TheWrap. April 25, 2017. Archived from the original on April 26, 2017. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
- ^ Donnelly, Matt (July 10, 2017). "John Oliver Joins Disney's Live-Action "The Lion King"". TheWrap. Archived from the original on July 10, 2017. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
- ^ Galuppo, Mia (August 7, 2017). "Alfre Woodard Joins Disney's 'The Lion King' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on August 8, 2017. Retrieved August 8, 2017.
- ^ Gonzalez, Umberto; Verhoeven, Beatrice (August 7, 2017). "'Lion King' Rafiki Casting: John Kani, 'Civil War' Star, to Play Wise Baboon (Exclusive)". TheWrap. Archived from the original on August 7, 2017. Retrieved August 7, 2017.
- ^ "Beyoncé Top Choice to Voice Nala in 'Lion King' Remake (Exclusive)". Variety. March 30, 2017. Archived from the original on June 21, 2017. Retrieved June 17, 2017.
- ^ Verhoeven, Beatrice (November 1, 2017). "Beyonce Will Voice Nala in Live-Action Adaptation of 'The Lion King'". TheWrap. Archived from the original on November 2, 2017. Retrieved November 1, 2017.
- ^ Pallotta, Frank (November 2, 2017). "Beyoncé joins cast of Disney's live-action 'Lion King'". CNN. Archived from the original on November 2, 2017. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
- ^ "Shahadi Wright Joseph – Playbill Vault". Playbill. Archived from the original on May 30, 2019. Retrieved January 6, 2019.
- ^ "Chiwetel Ejiofor Will Voice Scar in The Lion King". Archived from the original on December 3, 2017. Retrieved August 7, 2017.
- ^ Smith, Reiss (November 2, 2017). "The Lion King: 2019 release date, cast including Beyoncé, plot synopsis and more". express.co.uk. Archived from the original on November 8, 2017. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
- ^ "'Lion King's' Young Simba Actor Signs With ICM Partners (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. November 2, 2017. Archived from the original on November 4, 2017. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
- ^ "Shahadi Wright Joseph as Young Nala". New York Daily News. November 2, 2017. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
- ^ Donnelly, Matt (November 26, 2018). "'Lion King' Adds Amy Sedaris in Original Voice Role (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on July 4, 2019. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
- ^ "Jon Favreau on The Lion King's predominantly black cast | The Voice Online". archive.voice-online.co.uk. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
- ^ "THE LION KING – The Art of VFXThe Art of VFX". www.artofvfx.com. Archived from the original on January 1, 2019. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
- ^ Giardina, Carolyn (July 15, 2017). "'Lion King': Disney Unveils Jaw-Dropping First Footage Of Jon Favreau's Remake at D23". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on July 16, 2017. Retrieved July 15, 2017.
- ^ "The Lion King". Girish Balakrishnan. Archived from the original on November 24, 2018. Retrieved November 23, 2018.
- ^ Giardina, Carolyn (December 5, 2019). "Why Jon Favreau Chose Baby Yoda: "We Don't Know a Lot of Details About His Species"". The Hollywood Reporter. Los Angeles: Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on December 6, 2019. Retrieved December 28, 2019.
- ^ a b @Jon_Favreau (July 26, 2019). "This is the only real shot in #TheLionKing. There are 1490 rendered shots created by animators and CG artists. I slipped in one single shot that we actually photographed in Africa to see if anyone would notice. It is the first shot of the movie that begins The Circle of Life" (Tweet). Archived from the original on July 28, 2019 – via Twitter.
- ^ Faughnder, Ryan (July 26, 2019). "'The Lion King's' VR helped make a hit. It could also change movie making". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on July 29, 2019. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
- ^ a b Trigg, Eric (December 23, 2018). "Disney's The Lion King Won't Be A Shot-for-Shot Remake of Animated Original". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on January 3, 2019. Retrieved January 2, 2019.
- ^ Ha, Anthony (July 30, 2019). "How the new 'Lion King' came to life". TechCrunch. Archived from the original on August 7, 2019. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
- ^ Smith, Nigel (July 29, 2019). "The Lion King Director Reveals There's One 'Real Shot' in Hit CGI Remake". People. Archived from the original on December 14, 2019. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
- ^ Hood, Cooper (November 1, 2017). "Hans Zimmer Set to Score Disney's Live-Action The Lion King". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on January 7, 2018. Retrieved February 3, 2018.
- ^ "Elton John will make millions with live-action remake of The Lion King". New York Daily News. November 28, 2017. Archived from the original on November 28, 2017. Retrieved November 28, 2017.
- ^ "Beyoncé and Elton John were reportedly working on new versions of The Lion King songs". NME. November 29, 2017. Archived from the original on December 4, 2017. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
- ^ "Sir Elton John confirms new Tim Rice collaboration for Disney's The Lion King remake". Digital Spy. February 10, 2018. Archived from the original on February 12, 2018. Retrieved February 11, 2018.
- ^ Welk, Brian (July 19, 2019). "'The Lion King': What Was That Elton John Song During the Credits?". TheWrap. Archived from the original on July 21, 2019. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
- ^ a b c Chitwood, Adam (June 24, 2019). "'The Lion King' Soundtrack Details Revealed; Includes New Elton John Song". Collider. Archived from the original on June 24, 2019. Retrieved June 24, 2019.
- ^ a b Strauss, Matthew (July 9, 2019). "Beyoncé Releasing New Song "Spirit" Tonight, Curates Lion King Album". Pitchfork Media. Archived from the original on July 10, 2019. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
- ^ Perez, Lexy (November 24, 2018). "'The Lion King' Trailer Nabs Second-Biggest Debut Ever". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on November 25, 2018. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
- ^ Highfill, Samantha (February 24, 2019). "The Lion King puts Mufasa front and center in new poster". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on February 25, 2019. Retrieved February 25, 2019.
- ^ Dupre, Elyse (April 10, 2019). "The Lion King's New Trailer Will Make You Go Wild". E! Online. Archived from the original on April 10, 2019. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
- ^ "Disney's Investor Day 2019 Webcast". The Walt Disney Company. April 11, 2019. Archived from the original on April 14, 2019. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
- ^ Wade, Jessie (May 30, 2019). "Disney Releases New Lion King Character Posters". IGN. Archived from the original on May 30, 2019. Retrieved May 31, 2019.
- ^ Nissen, Dano (June 3, 2019). "Hear Beyoncé as Nala in New 'Lion King' Trailer". Variety. Archived from the original on June 7, 2019. Retrieved June 6, 2019.
- ^ "Beyoncé and Donald Glover Harmonize in 'Can You Feel the Love Tonight' Ad Preview". Variety. June 20, 2019. Archived from the original on June 20, 2019. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
- ^ Choe, Brandon (July 2, 2019). "'The Lion King' Stars Face Their Characters in New Posters; Disney Shows Off New Footage". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on July 2, 2019. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
- ^ a b D'Alessandro, Anthony (April 23, 2020). "'Lion King' Leaves Huge Paw Print As No. 3 On Deadline's 2019 Most Valuable Blockbuster Tournament". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 25, 2020. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
- ^ "The Lion King: The Novelization". Disney Books. Archived from the original on February 4, 2021. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
- ^ Sharf, Zack (April 18, 2019). "'The Lion King' Is Not A Shot-for-Shot Remake, Jon Favreau Says". IndieWire. Archived from the original on April 23, 2019. Retrieved April 23, 2019.
- ^ Bahr, Lindsey (April 30, 2019). "Summer Movie Preview: 'The Lion King' roars again". Associated Press. Archived from the original on May 9, 2019. Retrieved May 14, 2019.
- ^ Busch, Jenna (May 30, 2019). "From The Set: Jon Favreau On the Challenges and Changes in The Lion King". ComingSoon.net. Archived from the original on June 3, 2019. Retrieved June 6, 2019.
- ^ Knight, Lewis (July 5, 2019). "The Lion King 2019 run time revealed – is it longer than the original?". Daily Mirror. Archived from the original on July 6, 2019. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
- ^ Vandergrift, Tamiera (August 15, 2019). "Here's Why Fans are Hating 'The Lion King' Remake". Showbiz CheatSheet. Archived from the original on December 4, 2020. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
- ^ Aiello, McKenna (July 9, 2019). "All the Star Sightings From the The Lion King's First Premiere Are So '90s". E! News. Archived from the original on December 4, 2020. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
- ^ Lesnick, Silas (April 25, 2017). "Disney Movie Release Schedule Gets a Major Update". ComingSoon.net. Archived from the original on April 26, 2017. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
- ^ Lieberman, David (February 22, 2017). "Disney Films To Show on Imax Through 2019 With New Distribution Deal". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 23, 2017. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
- ^ Kroll, Justin (September 12, 2017). "'Star Wars: Episode IX' Release Date Moves to December 2019". Variety. Archived from the original on September 12, 2017. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
- ^ Whitbrook, James (August 8, 2017). "Disney Is Planning to Pull All of Its Movies from Netflix and Start Its Own Streaming Service [Updated]". IO9. Archived from the original on August 17, 2018. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
- ^ a b Tartaglione, Nancy (July 11, 2019). "'The Lion King' Poised To Pounce On $50M-$60M In Early China Opening – Preview". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on July 11, 2019. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
- ^ "The Lion King DVD Release Date". DVDs Release Dates. September 16, 2019. Archived from the original on August 23, 2019. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
- ^ "The Live-Action The Lion King Is Now Streaming on Disney Plus". TV Guide. January 28, 2020. Archived from the original on February 24, 2020. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (September 19, 2024). "'Moana 2' & 'Mufasa: The Lion King' Will Play In Imax". Deadline. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
- ^ a b Tartaglione, Nancy (July 21, 2019). "Cat's Meow: 'The Lion King' Rises To $531M Global In 10 Days; 'Aladdin' & 'Spider-Man' Each Near $1B WW – International Box Office". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on July 22, 2019. Retrieved July 22, 2019.
- ^ McClintock, Pamela (July 30, 2019). "Box Office: The Lion King Roars Past $1B in Global Ticket Sales". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on January 23, 2022. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
- ^ Desta, Yohana (August 12, 2019). "The Lion King Is Now Disney's Highest-Grossing Animated Movie Ever". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on August 6, 2020. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
- ^ Verhoeven, Beatrice; Robinson, Cassidy (May 9, 2020). "30 Highest Grossing Animated Movies of All Time Worldwide". TheWrap. Archived from the original on August 18, 2021. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
- ^ Gartenberg, Chaim (August 12, 2019). "The Lion King remake is the biggest animated earner ever, but Disney claims it isn't". The Verge. Archived from the original on August 13, 2019. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
- ^ Welk, Brian; Seitz, Loree (December 16, 2021). "The Highest Grossing Movie Musicals of All Time, From Grease to La La Land (Photos)". TheWrap. Archived from the original on January 23, 2022. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ "2019 Worldwide Box Office". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on April 25, 2020. Retrieved January 8, 2024.
- ^ Jackson, Josh; Paste Movies Staff (August 11, 2021). "The Top 20 Highest-Grossing Movies of All Time Worldwide". Paste. Archived from the original on January 23, 2022. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (June 25, 2019). "'The Lion King' Roars in First Day Advance Ticket Sales Breaking Disney Live-Action Records For Fandango & Atom". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on June 26, 2019. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (June 27, 2019). "Is Disney's Live-Action 'The Lion King' Headed to a July Opening Record?". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 4, 2020. Retrieved June 27, 2019.
- ^ Rubin, Rebecca (June 27, 2019). "Box Office: 'Lion King' Tracking Mighty $150 Million-Plus Opening Weekend". Variety. Archived from the original on June 27, 2019. Retrieved June 27, 2019.
- ^ a b D'Alessandro, Anthony (July 22, 2019). "'Lion King' Rips Up July & Disney Remake Records With $191.8M Opening – Monday Update". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on September 4, 2019. Retrieved July 22, 2019.
- ^ Rubin, Rebecca (July 22, 2019). "Box Office: 'The Lion King' Rules With $192 Million Debut". Variety. Archived from the original on July 22, 2019. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
- ^ McClintock, Pamela (July 22, 2019). "'The Lion King': All the Box Office Records Broken". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on July 22, 2019. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (July 27, 2019). "Hooray For 'Hollywood': Quentin Tarantino Sees His Biggest B.O. Opening Of All-Time With $40M+ As 'Lion King' Still Lords With $76M+ – Sunday Update". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on July 26, 2019. Retrieved July 27, 2019.
- ^ Golum, Rob (July 28, 2019). "'Lion King' and Tarantino's Hollywood Tale Boost Box Office". Bloomberg News. Archived from the original on July 30, 2019. Retrieved July 30, 2019.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (August 4, 2019). "'Hobbs & Shaw' West Coast Business Driving Pic To $60M, But Looks To Overseas For More Muscle". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 5, 2019. Retrieved August 4, 2019.
- ^ Bean, Travis (August 5, 2019). "Box Office: 'The Lion King' Now The 19th-Highest Earner Of All Time". Forbes. Archived from the original on August 5, 2019. Retrieved August 5, 2019.
- ^ Jeremy Fuster (August 22, 2019). "'The Lion King' Crosses $500 Million Domestic, Will Soon Pass 'Beauty and the Beast'". The Wrap. Archived from the original on September 25, 2019. Retrieved September 25, 2019.
- ^ "Domestic Box Office For 2019". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Archived from the original on December 20, 2022. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
- ^ Tartaglione, Nancy (July 14, 2019). "'Spider-Man: Far From Home' Lassos $847M Global & Tops Franchise Offshore With $573M; 'Lion King' Reigns In China – International Box Office". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 4, 2020. Retrieved July 14, 2019.
- ^ "Box Office: 'It: Chapter Two' Balloons to $94 Million Overseas". Variety. September 8, 2019. Archived from the original on September 8, 2019. Retrieved September 8, 2019.
- ^ "The Lion King (2019) – International Box Office results". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Archived from the original on August 25, 2019. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
- ^ "The Lion King (2019)". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Archived from the original on September 24, 2019. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
- ^ "Tarantino's 'Hollywood' Has Bountiful $54M Overseas Weekend, Tops 'Django' In Debuts; 'Hobbs & Shaw' Muscles in On $437M WW – International Box Office". Deadline Hollywood. August 18, 2019. Archived from the original on August 27, 2019. Retrieved September 1, 2019.
- ^ "The Lion King rules SA box office". Gadget. September 6, 2019. Archived from the original on September 9, 2019. Retrieved September 6, 2019.
- ^ "Austria Yearly Box Office". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Archived from the original on September 20, 2019. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
- ^ "Belgium and Luxembourg Yearly Box Office". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Archived from the original on August 22, 2019. Retrieved August 21, 2019.
- ^ "Bulgaria Yearly Box Office". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Archived from the original on July 6, 2018. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
- ^ "France and Algeria, Monaco, Morocco and Tunisia Yearly Box Office". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Archived from the original on May 8, 2019. Retrieved August 21, 2019.
- ^ "IT Chapter 2 is First at The Italian Boxoffice of The Weekend, While The Lion King Touches 33 million Euros". Tamil Rockrs. Retrieved September 9, 2019.[dead link]
- ^ "Lithuania Yearly Box Office". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Archived from the original on September 2, 2019. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
- ^ "Norway Yearly Box Office". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Archived from the original on November 6, 2018. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
- ^ "Portugal and Angola Yearly Box Office". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Archived from the original on August 24, 2019. Retrieved August 21, 2019.
- ^ "Russia (CIS) Yearly Box Office". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Archived from the original on July 18, 2019. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
- ^ "Slovenia Yearly Box Office". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Archived from the original on August 27, 2019. Retrieved August 27, 2019.
- ^ "Sweden Yearly Box Office". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Archived from the original on August 27, 2019. Retrieved August 27, 2019.
- ^ "Switzerland Yearly Box Office". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Archived from the original on April 3, 2018. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
- ^ "Spain Yearly Box Office". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Archived from the original on August 22, 2019. Retrieved August 21, 2019.
- ^ "Poland Yearly Box Office". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Archived from the original on August 27, 2019. Retrieved August 27, 2019.
- ^ "The Lion King Tops The Avengers to Become 7th Biggest Movie of All Time, With $1.564 Billion at Worldwide Box Office". NDTV. Archived from the original on September 5, 2019. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
- ^ "Animation comes to life in India with box office, streaming success". Livemint. Archived from the original on September 5, 2019. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
- ^ "It: Chapter Two' rules box office in $88m worldwide session, 'Downton Abbey' storms UK (update)". Screendaily. Archived from the original on December 4, 2020. Retrieved September 17, 2019.
- ^ "The Lion King (2019)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Archived from the original on August 14, 2023. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
- ^ "The Lion King (2019)". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Archived from the original on August 15, 2023. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
- ^ Nissen, Dano (July 11, 2019). "The Lion King: Reviews What the Critics Are Saying". Variety. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
- ^ Turan, Kenneth (July 11, 2019). "Review: Disney's photo-real 'The Lion King' remake sings a new yet familiar tune". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on July 11, 2019. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
- ^ McCarthy, Todd (July 11, 2019). "The Lion King: Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on July 11, 2019. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
- ^ Bradshaw, Peter (July 11, 2019). "The Lion King review: deepfake copycat ain't so grrreat". The Guardian. Archived from the original on July 11, 2019. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
- ^ a b Mendelson, Scott (July 11, 2019). "'The Lion King' Review: Be Prepared For A Crushing Disappointment". Forbes. Archived from the original on July 11, 2019. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
- ^ a b Ehrlich, David (July 11, 2019). "'The Lion King' Review: Disney's Remake Is a Disastrous Plunge into the Uncanny Valley". IndieWire. Archived from the original on July 12, 2019. Retrieved July 12, 2019.
- ^ "Lion King 2019 vs. the original: what's better and worse about the remake". Vox. July 17, 2019. Archived from the original on July 23, 2019. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
- ^ Bucksbaum, Sydney. "Billy Eichner's best lines as Timon in The Lion King remake". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on July 20, 2019. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
- ^ a b Dowd, A. A. (July 11, 2019). "Be prepared for the photorealistic cruddiness of Disney's pointless Lion King remake". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on July 11, 2019. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
- ^ Bibbiani, William (July 17, 2019). "The Lion King Film Review: Impressive Technical Mastery Drains the Life From the Original". TheWrap. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
- ^ Sengupta, Sreeparna (July 16, 2019). "The Lion King Movie Review". Times of India. Archived from the original on August 5, 2020. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
- ^ O'Hara, Helen (July 12, 2019). "The Lion King (2019) Review". Empire. Archived from the original on August 26, 2021. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
- ^ Seitz, Matt Zoller (July 19, 2019). "The Lion King". RogerEbert.com. Archived from the original on July 30, 2021. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
- ^ Maher, Kevin (July 11, 2019). "The Lion King review — roars of approval for a superior remake starring Donald Glover and Beyoncé". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Archived from the original on January 23, 2022. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
- ^ Porter, Edward (July 21, 2019). "The Lion King review — an eye‑popping spectacle, but less emotional than the original". The Sunday Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Archived from the original on January 23, 2022. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
- ^ Nickolai, Nate (October 16, 2019). "Elton John Calls 'Lion King' Remake a 'Huge Disappointment'". Variety. Archived from the original on October 24, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
- ^ Klemme, Kelsey (September 4, 2019). "2019 People's Choice Awards: Complete List of Nominees". E! Online. Archived from the original on September 4, 2019. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
- ^ Harris, LaTesha (November 5, 2019). "'Joker,' 'Lion King,' 'Us' Lead 2019 Hollywood Music in Media Awards Nominees". Variety. Archived from the original on November 5, 2019. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
- ^ "'2019 HPA Awards". HPAonline.com. November 21, 2019. Archived from the original on December 4, 2020. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
- ^ "Highest-grossing remake at the global box office". guinnessworldrecods. November 29, 2019. Archived from the original on December 16, 2019. Retrieved December 15, 2019.
- ^ "2019 WINNERS". Archived from the original on December 3, 2019. Retrieved December 20, 2019.
- ^ "The Irishman, Lion King Win Big At Capri, Hollywood Fest Awards". International Business Times. January 2, 2020. Archived from the original on January 11, 2020. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
- ^ "Golden Globes: Full List of Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. December 9, 2019. Archived from the original on December 10, 2019. Retrieved December 9, 2019.
- ^ Davis, Clayton (December 22, 2019). "Alliance of Women Film Journalists 2019 Nominees Announced: 'The Irishman', 'Marriage Story', and 'Once Upon A Time' Lead • AwardsCircuit | Entertainment, Predictions, Reviews". AwardsCircuit | Entertainment, Predictions, Reviews. Archived from the original on December 24, 2019. Retrieved December 23, 2019.
- ^ "25th Critics' Choice Awards" (Press release). Critics' Choice Awards. December 8, 2019. Archived from the original on December 9, 2019. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
- ^ Золотой Орел 2019 [Golden Eagle 2019] (in Russian). Ruskino.ru. Archived from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
- ^ "Beyoncé". Grammy.com. The Recording Academy. November 20, 2019. Archived from the original on December 4, 2020. Retrieved December 9, 2019.
- ^ Huff, Lauren (January 29, 2020). "The Lion King reigns at 2020 Visual Effects Society Awards". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on January 30, 2020. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
- ^ Schaffstall, Katherine (January 2, 2020). "Artios Awards: 'Hustlers,' 'Knives Out,' 'Rocketman' Among Casting Society Film Nominees". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on January 11, 2020. Retrieved January 6, 2020.
- ^ Giardina, Carolyn (February 1, 2019). "'Parasite,' 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' Win Art Directors Guild Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on February 2, 2020. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
- ^ Tartaglione, Nancy (January 7, 2020). "BAFTA Film Awards Nominations: 'Joker', 'The Irishman', 'Once Upon A Time In Hollywood' Lead – Full List". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 8, 2020. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
- ^ "Queen & Slim lead Black Reel Awards". Archived from the original on December 12, 2019. Retrieved December 15, 2019.
- ^ Herman, James Patrick (February 7, 2020). "Guild of Music Supervisors Awards: 'Bombshell,' 'Euphoria' Win – Variety". Variety. Archived from the original on May 14, 2021. Retrieved February 28, 2020.
- ^ "Oscar Nominations 2020". Vanity Fair. January 13, 2020. Archived from the original on January 13, 2020. Retrieved January 14, 2020.
- ^ "NAACP Image Awards: Lizzo Named Entertainer of the Year; 'Just Mercy,' 'Black-ish' Among Top Winners". The Hollywood Reporter. February 22, 2020. Archived from the original on February 23, 2020. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
- ^ Petski, Denise (February 13, 2020). "Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards Nominations: 'Avengers: Endgame' Leads – Deadline". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
- ^ Hipes, Patrick (March 4, 2021). "Saturn Awards Nominations: 'Star Wars: Rise Of Skywalker', 'Tenet', 'Walking Dead', 'Outlander' Lead List". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 7, 2021. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
- ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (September 29, 2020). "'The Lion King' Followup Set With 'Moonlight' Director Barry Jenkins To Helm For Walt Disney Studios". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on September 29, 2020. Retrieved September 29, 2020.
- ^ Rubin, Rebecca; Lang, Brent (September 29, 2020). "'The Lion King' Follow-Up in the Works With Director Barry Jenkins". Variety. Archived from the original on September 29, 2020. Retrieved September 29, 2020.
- ^ Couch, Aaron; Kits, Borys (September 29, 2020). "'Lion King' Prequel in the Works with Director Barry Jenkins". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on September 29, 2020. Retrieved September 29, 2020.
- ^ Wiseman, Andreas (August 26, 2021). "'The Lion King' Prequel: Kelvin Harrison Jr. & Aaron Pierre To Lead Cast For Disney & Barry Jenkins". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 26, 2021. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
- ^ Sandell, Rachel (March 18, 2022). "The Lion King II: Simba's Pride Is an Underrated Disney Sequel". Collider. Archived from the original on March 19, 2022. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
- ^ Rubin, Rebecca (September 15, 2022). "Disney Removes 'Star Wars' Spinoff 'Rogue Squadron' From Release Calendar, Sets Dates for 'Snow White,' 'Inside Out 2' and 'Lion King' Sequel". Variety. Archived from the original on September 15, 2022. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
- ^ Chapman, Wilson (September 9, 2022). "Lion King Prequel Gets Official Title, Footage Shown at D23". Variety. Archived from the original on October 1, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
External links
- 2019 films
- The Lion King (franchise)
- 2019 3D films
- 2019 computer-animated films
- 2019 drama films
- 2010s adventure drama films
- 2010s American films
- 2010s coming-of-age drama films
- 2010s English-language films
- 2010s fantasy adventure films
- 2010s fantasy drama films
- 2010s musical drama films
- 2010s musical fantasy films
- 3D animated films
- American 3D films
- American adventure drama films
- American animated adventure films
- American animated fantasy films
- American animated musical films
- American coming-of-age drama films
- American computer-animated films
- American fantasy adventure films
- American fantasy drama films
- American musical drama films
- American musical fantasy films
- Animated adaptations of William Shakespeare
- Animated coming-of-age films
- American children's animated drama films
- Disney film remakes
- Drama film remakes
- Fantasy film remakes
- Fiction about regicide
- Animated films about lions
- Animated films about coups d'état
- Animated films about meerkats
- Animated films about royalty
- Films based on Hamlet
- Films based on works by Linda Woolverton
- Films directed by Jon Favreau
- Films produced by Jon Favreau
- Films scored by Hans Zimmer
- Animated films set in Africa
- Films shot in Africa
- Films shot in Los Angeles
- Films using motion capture
- Films with screenplays by Jeff Nathanson
- Fiction about fratricide
- Golden Eagle Award (Russia) for Best Foreign Language Film winners
- High fantasy films
- Animated films about hyenas
- IMAX films
- Musical film remakes
- Remakes of American films
- Walt Disney Pictures animated films
- Animated films about father–son relationships
- Films about siblicide
- World record holders
- English-language musical fantasy films
- English-language musical drama films
- English-language fantasy adventure films
- English-language fantasy drama films
- English-language adventure drama films
- Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award winning films