The Lion King Reborn: The Circle of Life

"The Circle of Life" is the first chapter of The Lion King Reborn.

Story
Sithi uhm ingonyama
 * (The sun begins to rise again over the Pride Lands — Pumbaa and Timon enter the scene, walking across from left to right. The duo freak out as the animals all bear down on them. Pumbaa then races out from under all the roaring and screeching animals as they rush past. Timon rides on his back and steers him to follow the animals. Various pans and camera views of several animals, all moving, even passing by Mount Kilimanjaro. A view of giraffes pans to a long shot of all the animals in their procession. Camera is panning and jumping to animals (including elephants, antelopes, zebras, ants, birds, and storks)
 * Chorus: ''Nants ingonyama bagithi Baba

Nants ingonyama bagithi Baba Sithi uhhmm ingonyama Ingonyama

Siyo Nqoba Ingonyama''

''Ingonyama nengw' enamabala Ingonyama nengw' enamabala Ingonyama nengw' enamabala Ingonyama nengw' enamabala Ingonyama nengw' enamabala''

From the day we arrive on the planet And blinking, step into the sun There's more to see than can ever be seen More to do than can ever be done

There's far too much to take in here More to find than can ever be found But the sun rolling high Through the sapphire sky Keeps great and small on the endless round

It's the Circle of Life And it moves us all Through despair and hope Through faith and love Til we find our place On the path unwinding In the Circle The Circle of Life And it moves us all Through despair and hope Through faith and love Till we find our place On the path unwinding In the Circle The Circle of Life
 * (The long-distance pan centers on Pride Rock where all the animals are gathering. King Mufasa is on Pride Rock. Long camera arc to Mufasa and a red-billed hornbill named Zazu. He bows to Mufasa, who smiles and nods at him. Rafiki arrives and walks through a group of animals who bow to him. He embraces Mufasa before they go in to see Sarabi and in her lap is baby Simba. Rafiki puts fruit juice and sand he collects on Simba's brow. Simba sneezes and his parents embrace heads. Outside the presentation, Timon and Pumbaa finally arrive. Pride Rock rises before the two of them as the crest a small hill)
 * Timon: Oh, baby, we're almost there.
 * (A record-needle scratching sound accompanies them screeching to a halt as the suddenly see that Pride Rock is surrounded by hundreds of animals)
 * Pumbaa: I think we're little late.
 * Timon: It's a land rush. That loudmouthed-monkey must've blabbed it to the whole world!
 * Pumbaa: What did he say?
 * Timon: (imitating Rafiki) "Look beyond what you see."
 * Pumbaa: So maybe you're supposed to look beyond the big pointy rock.
 * Timon: Beyond what I see…beyond what I see…beyond what I see… (the screen pans past Pride Rock and all the gathered animals to a small hill with a little cave) What do you know? The monkey's got an eagle eye for real estate!
 * Pumbaa: (indicating Rafiki appearing out of the crowds) Timon, look!
 * Timon: He-he-hey! It's the monkey!
 * Pumbaa: What's he doin'?
 * Timon: It's not important. Come on! My dream home awaits. (he leads Pumbaa straight into the breach) Excuse me!
 * Animal1: Oh.
 * Animal2: Ow.
 * Animal3: Hello!
 * Animal4: Goodness.
 * Timon: Make room, make room. (to a giraffe) Watch it, Twiggy. I'm walkin' here!
 * (Many animals snort and glower at Pumbaa as Timon pushes their way through the crowd. Pumbaa's stomach gurgles. He he sits in "emergency" mode)
 * Pumbaa: (miserably) Timon…there's something I gotta tell ya.
 * Timon: Pumbaa, Pumbaa, Pumbaa. We'll have a plenty of time to chat once we settle in.
 * Pumbaa: (his stomach gurgles more, starting to panic) I could really use a rest-stop.
 * Timon: (trying to get Pumbaa back on track) Don't worry. You'll get your second wind.
 * Pumbaa: (breaking out in sweat) I got a really bad feeling!
 * Timon: It'll pass.
 * (Timon accidentally grabs Pumbaa's tail, and he releases a massive fart. A nearby African bush elephant freaks out and trumpets. All the animals immediately around Timon and Pumbaa cough and collapse with disgust, including gnu, then giraffes, and finally rhinos)
 * Zebra1: Oh, look. The rhinos are bowing.
 * Zebra2: Ooh, we'd better bow, too.
 * (The zebras bow, followed by the antelopes in front of them, then more gnus, elephants, and the whole rest of the gathered crowd. Timon and Pumbaa stand at the epicenter of what looks like a nuclear blast; a slight hissing sound is heard, as well as groans and coughs. We see that the hissing is Timon's hair on fire, fizzling down to his scalp)
 * Timon: (goes suddenly from aghast to thrilled) So, I guess that's your special power, huh? What a weapon!
 * Pumbaa: You don't mind?
 * Timon: It was a gas!
 * Pumbaa: (emotions rising a little) Well, I don't like to toot my own horn…
 * Timon: Yeah, that's probably for the best. Let's go, Pumbaa!
 * Pumbaa: Lead the way!
 * (Timon and Pumbaa soon wind their way through the prostate animals. Later in the evening, Timon and Pumbaa are building construction next to piled rocks that mark where their new dream-home is)
 * Timon: (ties up a hammock and lies down) This is it, buddy-boy. Home, sweet home! The elbow-to-elbow life reminds me a little too much of home. This place has everything. (Pumbaa hands Timon a massive bowl of slush) Cool refreshments, cozy little hammock, a lovely water feature. It's all mine!
 * (Taking in the fact that Timon forgot to factor him in, Pumbaa tries to handle it bravely)
 * Pumbaa: Well…it's really coming together, Timon, so, uh, so I guess I'll just be going. (walks away slowly)
 * Timon: There's no law that says you have to go…
 * Pumbaa: (zipping back immediately, Pumbaa smiles) Great! I've already made us some beds! (inside the den, there are two grass beds, one much bigger than the other) One for you…and one for me!
 * Timon: (yawns luxuriantly) Gee, all this construction work has me bushed. Think I'll turn in early.
 * (He crawls over the smaller bed and makes himself comfortable in the larger, Pumbaa-sized bed, then clicks his tongue. Pumbaa circles around twice, then somehow stuffs himself into the smaller bed. Pumbaa's leg then pops out sideways, but he gets comfortable anyway)
 * Pumbaa: Good night.
 * Timon: Sleep tight.
 * Pumbaa: Dream of bedbugs tonight! Zzzzzzzzz…
 * Timon: Home, sweet home, indeed.
 * (Timon and Pumbaa fall asleep. Dissolve to the exterior of the cave where Rafiki where he picks Simba up and ascends to the point of Pride Rock. Mufasa and Sarabi follow. Rafiki then holds Simba up for the crowd to view. All of the animals in a splendid array bow as seen from the perspective of Mufasa, Rafiki, and Zazu at the tip of the promontory)
 * Zazu: Look, sire, how they kneel before the royal son.
 * (The animals soon start howling and stamping before clouds move apart and a sunbeam highlights Rafiki and Simba on Pride Rock. The animals all soon bow again. Camera slowly zooms out to a striking panoramic view of the presentation)
 * MS: It's the Circle of Life
 * (Bass drum hit (fff) and immediate switch to black screen with title "THE LION KING REBORN" in white-yellow caps. The next morning, a mouse comes out to start preening in the light. He begins sniffing before being frightened. Suddenly, an orange lion and Mufasa's younger brother named Scar swoops down and catches the mouse before he talks and plays with it)
 * Scar: Life's not fair, is it? You see I shall never be king. And you…shall never see the light of another day. (he extends out his tongue to eat the mouse)
 * Zazu: (mockingly interrupting) Didn't your mother ever tell you not to play with your food?
 * Scar: (sighs) What do you want?
 * Zazu: I'm here to announce that King Mufasa is on his way. So you'd better have a good excuse for missing the ceremony!
 * (The mouse manages to escape from underneath Scar's paw and scampers into a hole)
 * Scar: Oh now look, Zazu; you made me lose my lunch.
 * Zazu: Hah! You'll lose more than that when the king gets through with you. He's as mad as a hippo with a hernia.
 * Scar: Ooh…I quiver with fear.
 * Zazu: Now, Scar! Don't look at me that way! HELP…!! (he tries to fly away, but Scar bites the bird into his mouth)
 * Mufasa: (he approaches menacingly to his brother) Scar! Drop him.
 * Zazu: (his beak pops out of Scar's mouth) Impeccable timing, Your Majesty. (Scar soon spits out the bird, covered with saliva, to his disgust)
 * Scar: (sarcastically overjoyed) Why! If it isn't my big brother descending from on high to mingle with the commoners!
 * Mufasa: Sarabi and I didn't see you at the presentation of Simba.
 * Scar: I missed it? Oh, I feel awful! (he scratches his claws against a rock like nails on a chalkboard and Zazu irritates to the sound) Must've slipped my mind…
 * Zazu: Yes, well…as slippery as your mind is, as the king's brother, you should have been first in line!
 * Scar: (clicks his teeth at Zazu, who takes cover behind Mufasa's foreleg) Well, I was first in line…until the little hairball was born.
 * Mufasa: That "hairball" is my son, and your future king.
 * Scar: (sarcastically) Ohh, I shall practice my curtsy. (turns to leave)
 * Mufasa: (becoming angry) Don't turn your back on me, Scar.
 * Scar: Oh, no, Mufasa. Perhaps you shouldn't turn your back on me.
 * Mufasa: (roars and literally leaps in front of Scar) Is that a CHALLENGE?!
 * Scar: Temper, temper. I wouldn't dream of challenging you. As far as brains go, I got the lion's share. But, when it comes to brute strength…I'm afraid I'm at the shallow end of the gene pool. (sulks away slowly out of the den)
 * Zazu: (to Mufasa) There's one in every family, sire…two in mine, actually. (perches onto Mufasa's shoulder) And they always manage to ruin special occasions.
 * Mufasa: (about Scar) What am I going to do with him?
 * Zazu: He'd make a very handsome throw rug.
 * Mufasa: (surprised) Zazu!
 * Zazu: And just think! Whenever he gets dirty, you could take him out and beat him. (Mufasa laughs)