The Lion King

The Lion King

This article is about Disney's 1994 film. For the theatrical musical, see The Lion King (musical).
This article is about Disney's 1994 film. For the video game, see The Lion King (video game).
The Lion King

Movie Poster for The Lion King by John Alvin[1]
Directed by Roger Allers
Rob Minkoff
Produced by Don Hahn
Written by Irene Mecchi
Jonathan Roberts
Linda Woolverton
Starring Matthew Broderick
Jeremy Irons
James Earl Jones
Jonathan Taylor Thomas
Nathan Lane
Ernie Sabella
Moira Kelly
Robert Guillaume
Rowan Atkinson
Whoopi Goldberg
Cheech Marin
Jim Cummings
Music by Elton John
Hans Zimmer
Distributed by Walt Disney Pictures
Release date(s) June 15, 1994 (selected cities)
June 24, 1994 (general)
November 18, 1994 (re-release)
December 25, 2002 (IMAX re-release Special Edition)
Running time 88 minutes
Language English
Budget $79,300,000 (estimated)[2]
Gross revenue $783,841,776
Followed by The Lion King II: Simba's Pride (1998)
Official website
Allmovie profile
IMDb profile

The Lion King is a 1994 American animated feature film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation with pencil test began in April 16, 1993 and released on theaters in June 15, 1994 by Walt Disney Pictures. It is the 32nd film in the Disney animated feature canon, and the highest-grossing traditionally animated feature film in the United States. It was inspired by the Shakespeare play Hamlet, and the Moses and Joseph stories from the Bible.[citation needed] The film focuses on a young lion in Africa named Simba, who learns of his place in the "Circle of Life" while overcoming various obstacles to become the rightful king.

The Lion King is a musical film, with songs written by composer Elton John and lyricist Tim Rice, and a film score by Hans Zimmer. The score and one of its songs, ("Can You Feel the Love Tonight", see below) won Academy Awards.[3] Disney later produced two related movies: a sequel, The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, and a part prequel/part midquel, The Lion King 1½.
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