The Ultimate Lion King Quiz

The Lion King is a 1994 American animated musical drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The film is inspired by William Shakespeare's Hamlet with elements from the Biblical stories of Joseph and Moses and Disney's 1942 film Bambi. The film was directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff and produced by Don Hahn, from a screenplay written by Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, and Linda Woolverton. The film features an ensemble voice cast that includes Matthew Broderick, James Earl Jones, Jeremy Irons, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, Rowan Atkinson, and Robert Guillaume. The Lion King was released on June 15, 1994, receiving critical acclaim for its music, story, themes, and animation. With an initial worldwide gross of $763 million, it finished its theatrical run as the highest-grossing film of 1994 and the second-highest-grossing film of all time, behind Jurassic Park (1993). The Lion King received two Academy Awards, as well as the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. The film has led to many derived works, such as a Broadway adaptation in 1997; two direct-to-video follow-ups—the sequel, The Lion King II: Simba's Pride (1998), and the prequel/parallel, The Lion King 1 (2004); two television series, Timon and Pumbaa and The Lion Guard; and a photorealistic remake in 2019. In 2016, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". The Lion King is the first Disney film to have been dubbed in Zulu, the only African language aside from Arabic to have been used for a feature-length Disney dub. The plot of The Lion King centers around Simba, a lion cub who is to succeed his father, Mufasa, as King of the Pride Lands; however, after his paternal uncle Scar kills Mufasa to seize the throne, Simba is tricked into believing he was responsible for his father's death and flees into exile. The film remains the highest-grossing traditionally animated film of all time, as well as the best-selling film on home video, having sold over 55 million copies worldwide.The Making of The Lion King

• Screenwriters Irene Mecchi and Jonathan Roberts worked on the script, adding comedic situations and fixing unresolved emotional issues.

• The voice actors were chosen based on how they fit and could add to the characters, with James Earl Jones cast for his powerful voice similar to a lion's roar.

• Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella were originally auditioning for different roles but were cast as Timon and Pumbaa after recording together as hyenas.

• The animators studied real-life animals for reference and were guided by wildlife experts Jim Fowler and Ron Magill.

• The computer animation production system (CAPS) helped simulate camera movements and was used for coloring, lighting, and particle effects.

• Lyricist Tim Rice and composer Elton John wrote five original songs for the film, including "Can You Feel the Love Tonight", which played over the end credits.

• The Lion King soundtrack earned a Diamond certification and was the top-selling soundtrack of 1994.

• The film was accompanied by an extensive marketing campaign, including tie-ins with Burger King, Mattel, Kodak, Nestlé, and Payless ShoeSource.

• The Lion King had a limited release in the United States on June 15, 1994, playing in only two theaters, and a wide release on June 24, 1994, in 2,550 screens.

• The film was released in 28 versions overall in as many languages and dialects worldwide, including a special Zulu version made specifically for the film in South Africa.

• The Lion King was first released on VHS and LaserDisc in the United States on March 3, 1995, under Disney's "Masterpiece Collection" video series.

• Deluxe editions of the VHS and LaserDisc releases included exclusive lithographs, concept art lithographs, a certificate of authenticity, and a tape with the half-hour TV special The Making of The Lion King.The Lion King: Home Media Releases and Box Office Performance

• The Lion King was first released on VHS in March 1995 and sold 4.5 million copies on the first day, becoming the best-selling videotape of all time.

• The VHS releases of The Lion King sold a total of 32 million units in North America and grossed $520 million in sales revenue. Additionally, 23 million units were shipped overseas to international markets.

• The Platinum Edition DVD release of The Lion King was released on October 7, 2003, and sold over two million copies on the first day. The DVD set included two versions of the film, bonus features, and several games.

• The Diamond Edition of The Lion King was released on October 4, 2011, in high-definition Blu-ray and on Blu-ray 3D. It sold over 1.5 million copies and topped the Blu-ray charts, grossing $101.14 million in income.

• The Lion King was released on Ultra HD Blu-ray and 4K digital download on December 3, 2018.

• The Lion King grossed $422.8 million in North America and $545.7 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $968.5 million during its initial run.

• The Lion King was the highest-grossing animated film of all time, the highest-grossing film of Walt Disney Animation Studios, and the highest-grossing film of 1994. It remained the second-highest-grossing film of all time until 1996.

• The Lion King sold over 74 million tickets in the US in its initial theatrical run, equivalent to $812.1 million adjusted for inflation in 2018.

• The Lion King was re-released in 2002 for IMAX and large-format theaters, grossing $15.7 million in just 10 days.

• The Lion King was converted to 3D for a two-week limited theatrical re-issue and subsequent 3D Blu-ray release in 2011. The film earned $94.2 million in North America and $83.4 million outside North America during its 3D re-release.

• The Lion King has an approval rating of 93% on Rotten Tomatoes and an average score of 8.4/10. It also received a score of 88 out of 100 on Metacritic.

• The Lion King was ranked as the 319th greatest film ever made by Empire magazine and was named one of "The 25 All-TIME Best Animated Films" by TIME. It was also listed as the fourth best film in the animation genre by the American Film Institute and was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress in 2016.Controversies surrounding The Lion King:

• Protests against a scene where the word "SEX" appears in the sky, which was later clarified as "SFX" and not a subliminal message.

• Criticism from hyena biologists for the animal's portrayal, with the film being seen as setting back hyena conservation efforts.

• Criticism for race and class issues, with the hyenas reflecting negative stereotypes of black and Latino ethnic communities.

• Claims of plagiarism from Osamu Tezuka's anime series Jungle Emperor, also known as Kimba the White Lion, with similarities between characters and scenes. Japanese cartoonists and animators signed a petition accusing Disney of plagiarism and demanding that they give due credit to Tezuka.

• Spin-off projects include the television series The Lion King's Timon & Pumbaa, two direct-to-video films, and the 2015 television film and series The Lion Guard.

• A CGI remake of The Lion King was released in 2019, directed by Jon Favreau and featuring the voices of Donald Glover, Beyoncé, and James Earl Jones.

• Black Is King, a film inspired by The Lion King and produced by Beyoncé, was released in 2020.

• A follow-up film, Mufasa: The Lion King, is currently in development, with a release date of July 5, 2024.

• The Lion King has also inspired various video games, stage adaptations, and attractions at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.