The Lion King: Revisited

The Lion King: Revisited (also known as The Lion King outside of North America) is an upcoming 2024 American animated epic, adventure, musical, drama, and dark comedy film directed by Rob Minkoff, Roger Allers and Jon Favreau, from a screenplay by Jeff Nathanson and Kendall Michele Haney, and produced by Walt Disney Pictures. In the film's ensemble voice cast, it is led by Matthew Broderick, Moira Kelly, Jeremy Irons, Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, Eden Riegel, Jason Marsden, Lacey Chabert, Bryana Salaz, Joshua Rush, Diamond White, Dusan Brown, Atticus Shaffer, Alfre Woodard, Nika Futterman, Rowan Atkinson, Khary Payton, Max Charles and James Earl Jones.

With the film co-produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and Mercury Filmworks, it was released on November 12, 2019, distributed by Disney+, and celebrating the 1994 film's 25th anniversary.

Plot
A meerkat named Timon, who is a social outcast of his colony outskirts, "the pit of shame", dreams for more in life than his colony's bleak existence hiding from predators, but his daydreaming leads to the near-death of his Uncle Max by a trio of hyenas named Shenzi, Kamari and Azizi. Timon leaves to find a better life, and meets a pig named Pumbaa, who suffers from demophobia-triggered flatulence problems. Although the two quickly form a bond and Pumbaa accompanies Timon as his acquaintance, they start living in a small oasis behind the landmark while King Mufasa and Queen Sarabi's newborn son Simba is presented to the crowded animals at a majestic place named Pride Rock.

Mufasa shows young Simba the Pride Lands and explains to him the responsibilities of kingship and the Circle of Life which connects all living things. Meanwhile, Mufasa's younger and selfish brother Scar covets the throne and plots to eliminate Mufasa and Simba so he may become king. He and his henchmen of hyenas set a trap for his brother and nephew, luring Simba into a gorge and having the hyenas drive a large herd of wildebeest into a stampede that will trample him. Scar refuses to help Mufasa, instead sending him falling to his death, then convinces Simba that the tragedy was his own fault and advises him to flee the kingdom and never return. Scar tells the pride that Mufasa and Simba were killed in the stampede and steps forward as the new king. Meanwhile, Timon and Pumbaa finally settle in a huge luxurious green jungle. Sooner enough, they rescue Simba on a desert floor before they raise him under their philosophy of "Hakuna Matata" (meaning "no worries" in Swahili).

A year later, Simba rescues Timon and Pumbaa from a hungry young adult lioness, who turns out to be his best friend Nala. She and Simba reunite and fall in love, and she argues with him to return home, telling him the Pride Lands have become a drought-stricken wasteland under Scar's reign. Feeling guilty over his father's death, Simba refuses and storms away. He encounters Mufasa's mandrill adviser Rafiki, who says that Mufasa's spirit lives on in Simba, and he is visited by the ghost of his father in the night sky, who tells him he must take his rightful place as king. Realizing he can no longer run from his past, Simba decides to return home.

As Scar taunts Simba over his role in Mufasa's death, he backs his nephew to the edge of Pride Rock, where he reveals to Simba that he murdered Mufasa. Enraged, Simba pins Scar to the ground and forces him to reveal the truth to the rest of the pride. After Timon proposes that they all help Simba by getting rid of the hyenas, he, Pumbaa, Nala, Sarabi, Zazu, Rafiki, and the other lionesses fend off the hyenas, alongside Timon's Ma and Max, who are directed to construct a series of tunnels beneath the hyenas. When the tunnels are finished, Max knocks down the sticks, the cave-in commences, and the hyenas are ejected through the tunnels. Scar begs for mercy and attempts to blame the hyenas for his actions, but Simba spares his life and orders him to leave the Pride Lands forever. Scar suddenly attacks his nephew, but Simba manages to toss him from the top of Pride Rock. Scar survives the fall, but then gets eaten by his former henchmen of hyenas, because one overheard him betray them to Simba.

With his enemies gone, Simba takes over the kingship as the rains begin to fall, restoring life to the land; Timon takes his entire meerkat colony to live in predator-free environment to complete his "Hakuna Matata"; Nala gives birth to a newborn cub; and she is presented to the assembled animals. Rafiki paints an emblem of the cub on the trunk of his tree, but Mufasa's spirit ruffles the painting, making him discover another cub that's living in rogues known as the "Outlands" named Kovu.

A few weeks later, Timon and Pumbaa babysit Kiara while Nala gives birth to another cub named Kion. Kiara becomes annoyed with her father's overprotective parenting and enters the Outlands, where she meets Kovu. His mother Zira reminds Simba of how he exiled her and the other Outsiders, and reveals that Scar selected Kovu to be his successor despite not being his biological father. After returning to the Pride Lands, Simba lectures Kiara about the danger posed by the Outsiders, and reminds her they are part of each other. In the Outlands, Zira reminds Kovu that Simba killed Scar and exiled the lions who respect him. Kovu explains that he does not think it is so bad to have Kiara as a friend, but Zira realizes that she can use Kovu's friendship with Kiara to seek revenge on Simba.

Growing up as a playful cub, Kion discovers that he has the ability to channel the roars of the Great Lions of the Past, giving him fierce power just like his great uncle Scar who had the same power before him, but who tragically misused it for evil and lost it forever. He experiences disturbing visions and flees into the Outlands, confused and terrified. At the instructions of Simba and Rafiki, Kion forms a team called the Lion Guard. As Kion goes against tradition and chooses his non-lion friends Bunga, Ono, Beshte and Fuli to populate it, Simba scolds him for not taking his new responsibilities seriously. When they save Kiara from a herd of stampeding gazelle and defeat a hyena clan led by Janja and Mzingo the vulture, Simba realizes that Kion has protected the Pride Lands and is indeed ready to lead his new Lion Guard.

As the wet season passes, the Lion Guard continue to protect the Pride Lands by driving off several Outlanders, including Janja's clan, Reirei's pack of jackals and Mzingo's parliament of vultures with help from the Pride Landers and a friendly hyena named Jasiri. She asks for Kion's help in dealing with a pride of lions, who are keeping her family away from their watering hole, including her sister Madoa and two infant cubs named Tunu and Wema. When he goes to help them out, he encounters the Outsider lions and their leader Zira, who tries to get Kion to join her side by stating that she knows about more about the Roar than he does, such as its ability to bring a brief rain shower by roaring at a cloud. Zira eventually reveals to Kion that she knew Scar. When Kion refuses to join Zira, she and her lionesses trap him. Meanwhile, the rest of the guard head to the Outlands to rescue Kion after Rafiki informs them of who the Outsider lions are.

As the dry season begins, Ma Tembo works to find a new water source, and Rafiki takes in a young mandrill named Makini as an apprentice. While fed up with always getting trampled and disturbed when the Lion Guard is near, an Egyptian cobra named Ushari inadvertently finds out that Kion talks to the spirit of Mufasa. When ambushed by Janja's clan, Ushari forms an alliance with them, and they conspire to find a way to summon the spirit of Scar.

While overhearing Rafiki, Ushari learns that the evil lions of the past appear in the flames of fire, and once they are summoned by the Roar of the Elders, a bakora staff can be used to talk to them. With this knowledge, Janja, Cheezi, Chungu, Nne, and Tano steal Makini's bakora staff and kidnap Kiara to lure Kion and the Guard to the Outlands, with the intent on tricking Kion to Roar with enough power to make the hyenas' volcano erupt in flames. After the Guard manages to save Kiara, Janja taunts Kion until he Roars in anger and unknowingly summons Scar when the volcano erupts. Ushari and the hyenas are then able to speak with Scar's spirit in the volcano after dropping the bakora staff into it. Meanwhile, the Lion Guard and Kiara return to the Pride Lands safely, but are unaware that Scar has returned.

During the Kumbuka celebration honoring the day that Simba defeated Scar, he sends Ushari to bite Simba, causing him to become very ill. Rafiki sends Makini and the Lion Guard to the Outlands' volcano to get the volcanic ash needed to cure Simba by sundown. Once Makini and the guard reach the volcano, Scar reveals himself to them and commands Ushari, Janja's clan, Reirei's pack, Mzingo's flock, Shupavu's group and a float of crocodiles led by Kiburi to attack them. After battling Scar's army of Outlanders, Makini and the Lion Guard make it back to Pride Rock with the ash. While Simba is recuperating, Kion informs Rafiki that Scar has returned. In the Outlands, Jasiri forms a hyena resistance with her clan by informing them of Scar's plans and stopping his army after reporting the news of his return.

As Simba figures out a way to defeat Scar, Kion gathers Ma Tembo's herd, Bupu's herd, Laini's troop, and Mbeya's crash to prepare them in their fight against the villainous Outlanders. After the training doesn't go well, Kion asks Makuu to help train the Pride Landers, but Makuu soon becomes frustrated and abandons them. When Scar hears the news from the skinks, he orders Janja's clan, Reirei's pack, and Kiburi's float to attack Makuu's float at their watering hole, but the Pride Landers are determined to help Makuu and his float and follow the Lion Guard to help them.

While the other Pride Landers are on edge due to the recent Outlander attacks, Makini is excited for her mpando mpya, the planting of a baobab tree in Mizimu Grove by a Royal Mjuzi in training. To cheer everyone up, Kion decides to make Makini's mpando mpya a big event and invites all of the Pride Landers to witness it, and asks Timon and Pumbaa to put on a show to entertain them. However, the skinks overhear this and inform Scar, who comes up with a plan to take over Mizimu Grove. After dealing with Ushari, Janja's clan, Reirei's pack, Kiburi's float, Mzingo's flock and Shupavu's group attacking Mizimu Grove during the festivities, Scar's spirit appears in the flames of a fire and comes face to face with Simba and the Pride Landers for the first time. The Pride Landers become spooked by Scar's appearance and consider leaving the Pride Lands to avoid further attacks. Later, Kion gets some advice from Mufasa and then discovers that the baobab sapling that Makini left behind had survived the whole attack. This inspires the Pride Landers to stay, as they realize that they are stronger together, and celebrate with Makini's mpando mpya.

Another year later, Kion and the Lion Guard have grown into teenagers and continue to defend the Pride Lands from Scar and his army. Simba suggests they take the battle with Scar into the Outlands to increase their chances more. Meanwhile, Janja finds himself wondering if he and his hyena clan should stay with Scar or not, since they never emerge victorious. That night, the Lion Guard gathers all of their allies, and Janja's clan is sent to distract them. Unbeknownst to Janja, however, Scar has Mzingo’s flock set fire to Pride Rock to take out his clan as well as the royal family and the Guard. While Janja escapes to get Jasiri's help, the Lion Guard escapes through an underwater tunnel, along with the hyenas. Janja, realizing that Scar does not care about him or his clan, tells Kion of the supposed way to vanquish Scar for good, by using the Roar at full power inside the volcano. Unknown to Janja and the Pride Landers, this is in fact part of Scar's plan to trick Kion into causing the volcano to erupt, destroying the Pride Lands.

The next morning, the Pride Landers' army charge into the battle against Scar's army, allowing the Lion Guard to get to the top of the volcano. Once they reach the pit, Scar has Ushari bite Kion on the face, giving him a scar as well. Despite Scar insisting that the two of them are now the same, Kion, refusing to use violence, instead has the Great Lions of the past vanquish Scar. Scar yells out that the Roar is a curse as he vanishes. Ushari tries to attack Kion again, but is knocked into the lava pit by Bunga and is killed. Ono suffers eye damage rescuing Bunga. With Scar gone, Janja determines that Jasiri should assume control of the Outlands, and she accepts. Kion, meanwhile, finds that his injury is causing him to lose control of his Roar when he almost hurts Bunga with it. Back at Pride Rock, Rafiki instructs Kion to eat Tuliza blossoms when his scar is irritating him, and deduces that Kion and Ono’s injuries can be healed by the Tree of Life, a faraway place that sick animals go to get better. Rafiki tells them they have to follow the paintings on the moja kwa moja stones to find their way to the Tree. Due to Ono's eye damage, Kion names Anga as the new keenest of sight, and renames Ono as the smartest member. With Ono having memorized each of the landmarks, the Guard sets off on a journey to the Tree of Life, with Makini joining them.

At Rafiki's tree, Mufasa's spirit persuades the mandrill to bring Kiara and Kovu together as a way of uniting the prides. He then asks if Mufasa is crazy and doubts that the plan will never work and tells him that he's been up there too long and his head in the clouds, and is then immediately buffeted by a strong gust of wind from Mufasa's spirit, immediately convincing the mandrill to carry out the deceased king's idea.

Another year later, back at Pride Rock, Kiara, now a young adult, begins her first solo hunt. As part of Zira's plan, Kovu's siblings Nuka and Vitani trap Kiara in a fire, allowing Kovu to rescue her. Simba is forced to accept Kovu's place since he rescued Kiara. Kovu contemplates attacking Simba as he was instructed to, but he teaches Kiara how to hunt instead and eventually realizes his feelings for her. Kiara and Kovu stargaze where they talk about the Great Kings of the Past and Kovu wonders if there is a darkness in him like there was in Scar. That night, Simba allows Kovu to sleep inside Pride Rock with the rest of the pride, but because of this, Zira sets a trap for her son and Simba.

The next day, Kovu once again tries to reveal his mission to Kiara, but Simba takes him around the Pride Lands and tells him Scar's story. The Outsiders then ambush Simba, resulting in Nuka's death from a log pile and Simba's escape. Enraged, Zira scratches Kovu for his brother's death, causing him to turn against her. Kovu returns to Pride Rock to asks Simba for his forgiveness, but is exiled. Kiara makes Simba realize that he is acting irrationally, and flees to find Kovu. The two lions later find each other and profess their love. Realizing that they must reunite the two prides, Kiara and Kovu return to the Pride Lands and convince them to stop fighting. When Zira attempts to kill Simba, Kiara intervenes and Zira vocally refuses Kiara's help, letting go of her own accord with a twisted smile upon her face. With his enemy gone, Simba accepts Kovu and the Outsiders back into the Pride Lands.

At the Tree of Life, Ono and Kion are fully healed by the Night Pride and their leader Rani after Kion uses his new mastered Roar to banish an army of predators led by Makucha the leopard and Mama Binturong. When they are learned that the Pride Lands are threatened from Jasiri, Janja and a male Asiatic cheetah named Azaad, Kion uses the Roar to help the Lion Guard return home as soon as possible.

The Lion Guard returns to their homeland, in which are assisted by Mzingo and his parliament. Not recognizing Kion because of his scar, Vitani and her pride of lionesses, Shivaha, Kasi, Imara and Tazama, mistake the Lion Guard for enemies. Before they can fight, Kiara and Kovu interject and reveal that Vitani and the rest of Zira's pride have joined the Pride Landers.

The next day, Vitani and her lionesses meet Kion and his friends at the Lair of the Lion Guard. Vitani explains that as the future king's sister, she believes that it is her responsibility to protect the Pride Lands, so she has formed her own Lion Guard in their absence. Kion argues that he is the future queen's brother and has the mark of the Guard along with the Roar of the Elders, but Vitani and her guard still refuse to back down.

They start a competition to decide which one is more worthy to become the defender of the Pride Lands. Kion and his friends prove themselves to be superior in all aspects, but Vitani tells Kion that she doesn't need the Roar of the Elders because she believes that she's fierce enough to lead the Lion Guard. Kion deems Vitani worthy to lead the Lion Guard after remembering the words of Askari, the leader of the Pride Lands' first Lion Guard, on mastering the Roar and bestows her the mark of the Lion Guard along with the Roar. Vitani demonstrates the Roar, and the mark of the Lion Guard disappears from Kion and his friends, officially establishing Vitani's Lion Guard and ending Kion's Guard. Although Askari appears in the clouds and gives advice to Kion that the Roar needs help for the Tree of Life, Kion and his friends become members of the Night Pride. Vitani questions Kion on what it means to master the Roar, and Kion demonstrates by picking up Pride Rock with the power of the Roar.

Some time later, the Pride Landers and the Tree of Life's inhabitants gather outside the Tree of Life to witness Kion's wedding ceremony to Rani, as well as his ascension as King of the Tree of Life. Before the ceremony begins, Kion approaches Rani, who says she's glad the Roar have returned back to the Tree of Life. Agreeing, Kion affirms it's here to stay as both look forward to ruling the Tree of Life together. Makini then anoints Kion's forehead, officially declaring him King of the Tree of Life. The film ends with the spirits of Ãnanda, Sãhasí, Askari, Janna and Mufasa looking down at the ceremony in happiness.

Cast

 * Matthew Broderick as Simba
 * Donald Glover and Cam Clarke as Simba (singing voice)
 * JD McCrary as young Simba
 * Moira Kelly as Nala
 * Beyoncé Knowles-Carter as Nala (singing voice)
 * Shahadi Wright Joseph as young Nala
 * Jeremy Irons as Scar
 * David Oyelowo as Scar (singing voice)
 * Nathan Lane as Timon
 * Ernie Sabella as Pumbaa
 * Eden Riegel as Kiara
 * Liz Callaway as Kiara (singing voice)
 * Michelle Horn as young Kiara
 * Charity Sanoy as young Kiara (singing voice)
 * Jason Marsden as Kovu
 * Kenny Lattimore as Kovu (singing voice)
 * Ryan O'Donohue as young Kovu
 * Max Charles as Kion
 * James Earl Jones as Mufasa
 * Diamond White as Fuli
 * Maia Mitchell as Jasiri
 * Whoopi Goldberg as Shenzi
 * Alfre Woodard as Sarabi
 * Nika Futterman as Zira
 * Rowan Atkinson as Zazu
 * Khary Payton as Rafiki / Muhangus
 * Bryana Salaz as Anga
 * Joshua Rush as Bunga
 * Dusan Brown as Beshte
 * Atticus Shaffer as Ono
 * Andy Dick as Nuka
 * Lacey Chabert as Vitani
 * Peyton Elizabeth Lee as Rani
 * Keegan-Michael Key as Kamari
 * Eric Andre as Azizi
 * Julie Kavner as Timon's Mother
 * Jerry Stiller as Uncle Max
 * Andrew Kishino as Janja
 * Vargus Mason as Cheezi
 * Kevin Schon as Chungu / Thurston
 * Maisie Klompus as Madoa
 * Kevin Michael Richardson as Basi
 * Lynette Dupree as Ma Tembo
 * Nick Watt as Zito
 * Alex Cartañá as Twiga
 * Phil LaMarr as Shingo / Goigoi
 * Meghan Strange as Laini / Shupavu / Astuto
 * Michael Dorn as Bupu
 * Erica Luttrell as Boboka
 * Blair Underwood as Makuu
 * Howy Parkins as Mbeya
 * Maurice LaMarche as Kifaru
 * John Rhys-Davies as Sokwe
 * Christopher Jackson as Shujaa
 * John O'Hurley as Hadithi
 * Landry Bender as Makini
 * Behzad Dabu as Azaad
 * Greg Ellis as Mzingo
 * Ana Gasteyer as Reirei
 * Common as Kiburi
 * Dee Bradley Baker as Baby Baboon / Tano
 * Beau Black as Nne
 * Christian Slater as Ushari
 * Fiona Riley as Shabaha
 * Rachel Crow as Imara
 * Sophie Reynolds as Tazama
 * Savannah Smith as Kasi
 * Madison Pettis as Zuri
 * Bailey Gambertoglio as Tiifu
 * Penny Johnson Jerald as Serafina
 * C.J. Byrnes as Tamaa
 * Jaime Camil as Pinguino
 * Sinbad as Uroho
 * Michael Luwoye as Askari
 * Shohreh Aghdashloo as Janna
 * Virginia Watson as Vuruga Vuruga
 * Jacob Bertrand as Chama
 * Ron Funches as Ajabu
 * Kari Wahlgren as Muhimu
 * Tunisia Hardison as Swala
 * Mekai Curtis as Furaha
 * Cade Sutton as Mzaha
 * Nolan North as Tamka / Fahari
 * Tiffany Espensen as Heng-Heng / Rama
 * Jeremy Ray Valdez as Cek
 * David S. Jung as Kely / Tsah
 * Rafael Petardi as Tangaagim
 * Vyvan Pham as Ullu
 * Lou Diamond Phillips as Surak
 * Hudson Yang as Baliyo
 * Miki Yamashita as Nirmala
 * Justin Felbinger as Mtoto
 * Elise Allen as Kulinda
 * Heather Headley as Fikiri
 * Dan Howell as Majinuni
 * Phil Lester as Hafifu
 * Gerald C. Rivers as Pua
 * Grace Young as Ãnanda
 * James Sie as Sâhasí / Smun
 * Rachel House as Mama Binturong
 * Steve Blum as Makucha
 * Kimiko Glenn as Chuluun
 * Ace Gibson as Jiona
 * Cam Clarke as Mwoga
 * Fiona Hart as Wema
 * Crimson Hart as Tunu
 * Jorge Diaz as Nduli
 * Amber Hood as Kijana
 * Jacob Guenther as Dogo
 * G.K. Bowes as Sasem

Appearances
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