The Lion King(2019)

PG
1h 58m

Release Date: Jul 19, 2019 | Wide

After the murder of his father, a young lion prince flees his kingdom only to learn the true meaning of responsibility and bravery.

Official Website

Releases

Original Release | Jul 19, 2019

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Box Office Results

Results

Opening Weekend US & Canada:
$191,770,759
Total US & Canada:
$543,638,043
Total International
$1,118,382,776
Total Worldwide:
$1,662,020,819

Current Showtimes

Your Location or

(U.S. Only)

Director & Top Cast

Jon Favreau
Director

Hans Zimmer

Technical Specifications

Sound Mix: DTS:X,Dolby Atmos,Dolby Surround 7.1,IMAX 6-Track,D-Cinema 96kHz 7.1,Dolby Digital,12-Track Digital Sound,Auro 11.1,D-Cinema 96kHz Dolby Surround 7.1

Aspect Ratio: 1.90:1

Other Details

Country of Origin: United States,United Kingdom,Kenya

Language: English,Spanish

Summaries

Plot Summary

The sun rises over the Pride Lands. Animals from all corners of the kingdom head over to Pride Rock ("Circle of Life"). The ruling lions King Mufasa (voice of James Earl Jones) and Queen Sarabi (voice of Alfre Woodard) are welcoming the birth of their cub, Simba. The mandrill high priest Rafiki (voice of John Kani) presents Simba before all the animals, and they all bow before the new prince.A little mouse is scurrying around his environment until he comes across the vicious Scar (voice of Chiwetel Ejiofor), Mufasa's jealous brother. Before he can devour the mouse, Scar is interrupted by Mufasa's hornbill major-domo Zazu (voice of John Oliver). He warns Scar that Mufasa is on his way to chastise him for missing out on the ceremony for Simba. Sure enough, Mufasa arrives to confront his brother, just as Scar is trying to make lunch out of Zazu. Scar expresses his dismay for not getting his place on the throne after Mufasa now that Simba is born. After Mufasa and Zazu leave, Scar looks on with scorn.Rafiki is by his tree, where he uses several bugs to form a drawing of Simba on the tree.Time passes, and Simba (now voiced by JD McCrary) is an eager and curious little cub. He wakes up his father so that he can explore the Pride Lands. Mufasa explains that everything in the Pride Lands is theirs, but anything beyond the borders is forbidden from venturing into. He also tells his son that they are connected in the great circle of life in regards to his duty as a future king. Zazu then flies in for the morning report before Mufasa teaches Simba how to pounce on the bird. Moments later, Zazu tells Mufasa that he has spotted hyenas. Mufasa orders Simba to go to Sarabi.Simba goes to Scar, who rests alone on his own little rock. As Simba expresses curiosity over what is beyond the borders of the Pride Lands, Scar tells him that it's an elephant graveyard. Simba then goes to find his best friend Nala (voice of Shahadi Wright Joseph), who is in the middle of a bath. Simba gets his own bath from Sarabi before he tells Nala that he wants to go to the watering hole, but Sarabi makes the cubs take Zazu as a chaperon.On their walk, Simba tells Nala where they are really going. Zazu notices them together and notes how cute it is to see two betrothed cubs together. This grosses out Simba and Nala, who insist they are only friends. Zazu says those are the rules, and Simba says he is going to change some of these rules when he becomes king ("I Just Can't Wait To Be King"). The cubs lose Zazu amidst the other animals before they head to the elephant graveyard. While exploring, they are found by a pack of hyenas, led by Shenzi (voice of Florence Kasumba), Kamari (voice of Keegan-Michael Key), and Azizi (voice of Eric Andre). Shenzi is ready to eat them once she realizes who Simba is, even as Zazu flies in to warn her that doing so would start a war with Mufasa. She attacks, but Zazu manages to hold her off long enough for Simba and Nala to run away. The pack then surrounds the cubs. Simba tries to roar at the hyenas but merely musters up simple growls. As they laugh and ask him to do it again, a louder roar is heard. Mufasa runs in and fights off the hyenas before ordering Shenzi to back off or face retribution. The hyenas retreat, but Mufasa is upset at Simba as he takes him and Nala home.Mufasa has Zazu take Nala home while he talks to Simba. He expresses his disappointment in him, but Simba tries to defend himself by saying that he was trying to be brave like Mufasa. He tells his son that he's only brave when he needs to be, and that he was afraid of losing Simba. They then sit to look up at the stars, and Mufasa tells Simba that the great kings of the past are looking down on them.The hyenas return to their hideout, complaining about their lack of food. It is then shown that Scar is leading them, and he deliberately led Simba and Nala to their path. He then tells the hyenas about his plan to kill Mufasa so that he will lead the Pride Lands ("Be Prepared"), and this will also mean more food for the hyenas.The next day, Scar brings Simba by a gorge to practice his roar. After he leaves Simba alone, he gives to hyenas the signal to make their move. Suddenly, Simba looks up at the cliff to notice a WILDEBEEST STAMPEDE. He runs for it and climbs up a tree for safety. Scar finds Mufasa and Zazu, warning his brother about Simba being trapped in the gorge while telling Zazu to alert the lionesses. Mufasa runs through the herd of wildebeest to reach Simba. He brings the cub up to safety but is dragged away by the wildebeest. Mufasa then starts climbing up the hill, only to be caught by Scar, who sinks his claws into Mufasa's paws. With a sinister look in his eyes, Scar tells Mufasa, "Long live the king", and he smacks his brother off the cliff to his demise. Simba watches helplessly as his father falls into the stampede. He runs down and discovers Mufasa's body, tearfully pleading with him to wake up. Scar finds Simba and says it's all his fault that his father is dead. Fearing for the consequences, Simba asks Scar what to do, and Scar orders him to run away and never return. After Simba does so, he sends Shenzi, Kamari, and Azizi (plus an unnamed hyena) to chase after Simba and kill him. Simba outruns the hyenas to the edge of a cliff where he and the fourth hyena fall over. Shenzi orders the other two to make sure Simba is dead, but they figure to themselves that he could not have survived the fall, and they are not eager to climb down and check. Simba is seen hiding before continuing his exile.Scar announces Mufasa's death to the lionesses, and then says that Simba was also killed. He feigns his grief before walking up to Pride Rock to assume his new duties as king, and then brings the hyenas out. Zazu and Rafiki watch from a distance and mourn Mufasa and Simba.Simba walks alone for miles before ending up in a desert. He collapses in exhaustion before a flock of vultures swoop in to try and eat him. They are interrupted by the meerkat-and-warthog duo Timon (Billy Eichner) and Pumbaa (Seth Rogen), who scare off the vultures before finding Simba. The two decide they should keep the cub so that when he grows into an adult lion, he will be on their side. Simba wakes up and is despondent, still blaming himself for his father's death. Timon and Pumbaa take him in and show him how they live their lives, according to their motto, "Hakuna Matata" (It means "no worries!"). Since the other animals are friends, Simba can't eat them and now feasts on bugs. He spends more time with Timon and Pumbaa, now growing into an adult (now played by Donald Glover).Under Scar's reign, the Pride Lands become devoid of sufficient food and resources, since the hyenas are bleeding everything dry. Nala (now voiced by Beyonce Knowles-Carter) expresses concern over how things have turned. Scar even tries to get Sarabi to be his queen, promising that she can dine with him, but she refuses. He then has the hyenas eat the rest of his kill, leaving barely scraps for the lionesses. Later that night, Nala tries to leave Pride Rock, but she is spotted by Zazu, who knows what Scar will do to her if he catches her leaving. Therefore, he creates a diversion to get Scar and the hyenas to chase him, allowing Nala to get away.After spending a day chowing down on grubs, Simba, Timon and Pumbaa lay down to look up at the stars. As Timon and Pumbaa muse over what could be up there, Simba mentions what Mufasa once told him about the kings of the past looking down on them. Timon and Pumbaa laugh it off, which bothers Simba. He goes to be alone, and as he lays down, some fur from his mane flies off. It is blown away and goes through a few animals before it finds its way to Rafiki. He senses that Simba is still alive, and he rejoices.Timon and Pumbaa are walking through their home while singing "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" before Nala attacks and chases after them. As they flee, Simba jumps out and pounces on Nala, but after she pins him down, he realizes who it is. Simba is excited to see his best friend again while Nala is elated that Simba is alive. The two go off together to catch up, leaving Timon and Pumbaa to realize that the two lions are becoming more than friends ("Can You Feel The Love Tonight?"). However, the happiness is short-lived once Nala tells Simba that he needs to return home due to what Scar and the hyenas have done. Still feeling guilty, he refuses to go back. Nala leaves him when he becomes too stubborn and doesn't listen to her.Simba wanders off alone until he is found by Rafiki. He tells Simba he knows Mufasa, and that he is alive. Simba follows Rafiki and is led to a lake. Rafiki makes Simba see his reflection, which turns into the image of Mufasa. Up in the clouds, Simba sees and hears Mufasa's voice as his face is illuminated by lightning. Mufasa knows that Simba has forgotten who he is, and therefore has forgotten his own father. He tells him to remember that he is the one true king. Now realizing his purpose, Simba runs off to catch up with Nala, and Timon and Pumbaa follow.The four make it to the Pride Lands and meet with Zazu, who is also happy to see Simba again. They see how bad the land looks, and why it is urgent that they stop Scar. Simba has Timon and Pumbaa be "live bait" to distract the hyenas and to let them get to Pride Rock. Simba sees Scar hurting Sarabi when she defies him again. Everyone is stunned to see Simba returning, and he goes by his mother's side. Scar tries to turn the tables on him by making Simba admit his guilt in Mufasa's death. Scar advances toward Simba, causing him to slip and hang over the edge of Pride Rock. Lightning strikes a nearby tree, causing a fire down below. Scar then brags to Simba over how he looks, not realizing he is openly admitting his own guilt for the lionesses to hear. He then whispers to Simba that he killed Mufasa, and Simba pounces on his murderous uncle. Scar confesses to his crime, but then sics the hyenas on the lionesses, beginning an all-out war. The lions battle the hyenas, while Timon, Pumbaa, and Rafiki all get a few good licks in.Simba then goes after Scar, who tries to run away. When Simba confronts him, Scar blames the hyenas and says that he was planning to kill them for their supposed crime. Scar begs Simba for mercy, and Simba orders him to do the same thing he ordered him to do as a cub: run away and never return. Scar seems to agree to the terms, but instead flings hot embers in Simba's face. The two then begin to fight, swinging claws at each other until Simba gains the upper hand and knocks Scar off the edge of the cliff. He survives and sees the hyenas coming toward him. Unfortunately for him, the hyenas heard him throw them under the bus, and they proceed to rip Scar to shreds.The rain falls over the Pride Lands to wash away the fire. With the hyenas gone, the lionesses gather around Pride Rock. Zazu and Rafiki allow Simba his chance to ascend. He walks to the edge of Pride Rock and hears Mufasa's voice saying, "Remember." With that, he roars before the lionesses to become the new LION KING.The Pride Lands return to their former glory, looking beautiful and prosperous once more. Timon and Pumbaa have moved in to be close to their friend. Simba and Nala are now king and queen, and Rafiki presents their cub Kiara to the rest of the animals, thereby continuing the circle of life.

Storyline

In Africa, lion cub Simba is the pride and joy of his parents King Mufasa and Queen Sarabi. Mufasa prepares Simba to be the next king of the jungle. However, the naive Simba believes in his envious uncle Scar who wants to kill Mufasa and Simba to become the next king. He lures Simba and his friend Nala to a forbidden place and they are attacked by hyenas but they are rescued by Mufasa. Then Scar plots another scheme to kill Mufasa and Simba, but the cub escapes alive and leaves the kingdom believing he was responsible for his father's death. Now Scar becomes the king, supported by the evil hyenas, while Simba grows up in a distant land. Some time later, Nala meets Simba and tells him that the kingdom has become a creepy wasteland. What will Simba do? — Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil After the death of his father, a young male lion cub flees the kingdom and ends up living with some friends. As time passes by, he is reunited with some old friends and learns the truth about what really happened. He must return to the kingdom to face his past. — RECB3 In this retelling of "The Lion King", Simba is born to Queen Sarabi and King Mufasa and will be next in line to the throne and betrothed to Nala. However, Scar, Mufasa's jealous brother and Simba's scheming uncle, wants to rule the Pride Lands for himself. Scar and the hyenas hatch a plan to eliminate Simba and Mufasa by causing a wildebeest stampede. Mufasa saves Simba from the stampede, but he is murdered by Scar. Devastated at his father's death, Simba goes into self-imposed exile and is taken in by Timon and Pumbaa. Years pass, but Simba's past still isn't behind him after he reunites with Nala and he struggles to come to terms with his past mistakes. Simba soon learns that he must take his place as the rightful ruler of Pride Rock in order to restore balance to the Circle of Life and put a stop to his greedy uncle's tyranny. — dawsonpersi