The Lion King Reborn (2024 film)

The Lion King Reborn is an upcoming 2024 American animated epic, adventure, musical, drama, and dark comedy film based on Disney's 1994 film The Lion King. It is the unofficial fifth installment of the Lion King franchise produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Walt Disney Animation Studios, distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, and a reboot of Disney's 2019 film of the same name preceding it. The film will be directed by Rob Minkoff and Roger Allers, written by Jeff Nathanson and Kendall Michele Haney, and starring an ensemble voice cast that includes Matthew Broderick, Jeremy Irons, Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, Nika Futterman, James Earl Jones, Eden Riegel, Jason Marsden, Alfre Woodard, Andy Dick, Lacey Chabert, Rowan Atkinson, Khary Payton, Sarah Hyland, Madison Pettis, Joshua Rush, Diamond White, Gabrielle Union, and Max Charles.

Plans for an animated reboot of The Lion King Reborn were confirmed on July 2019 following the success of Jon Favreau's photorealistic remake of Disney's 1994 film of the same name. Animation will begin on August 3 at Walt Disney Animation Studios with a large cast consisting mostly of voice actors and actresses reprising their roles from the original films and television series. The production will last until mid-2023.

The film will be released on Vimeo in IMAX format, July 19th, 2024, celebrating the 2019 remake's 5th anniversary and the 1994 film's 30th anniversary.

Voice cast

 * Main article: List of The Lion King characters on Wikipedia

An African lion, son of Mufasa and Sarabi, who is the crown prince of the Pride Lands. Simba later becomes Nala's husband, and Kiara's overprotective father. Mufasa's treacherous younger brother, Simba's uncle and Kiara's granduncle, who overtakes the throne and seeks to take the mantle of king after his brother's death. A comedic meerkat, who becomes Pumbaa's best friend, one of Simba's adoptive parents and Bunga's adoptive uncles. Though somewhat selfish, arrogant, and withdrawn, Timon shows courageous loyalty towards his friends. A naïve, but hearten common warthog, who becomes Timon's symbiotic partner, one of Simba's adoptive parents and Bunga's adoptive uncles. Though slow-witted, Pumbaa is very empathetic and willing to trust and befriend anyone. He is also claustrophobic and passes gas in crowds. The leader of the Outsiders, Scar's most loyal follower and Nuka, Vitani, and Kovu's widowed mother. Simba's father, and king of the Pride Lands, as the film begins. A lioness, and the daughter of Simba and Nala, who grows up to become future queen of the Pride Lands. A lion living in the Outlands, who is Zira's son, Nuka and Vitani's younger brother, and the chosen successor of Scar to become king of the Pride Lands. The Queen of Pride Rock, who is the leader of the lioness hunting party, Mufasa's devoted mate, and Simba's mother. Zira's son, Vitani and Kovu's older brother and the oldest male of Zira's family. Zira's aggressive and spunky daughter, and Nuka and Kovu's sister. A Tanzanian red-billed hornbill, who serves as the lion king's majordomo (or "Mufasa's little stooge", as Shenzi calls him). A wise mandrill, who teaches Timon Hakuna Matata, as well as giving him faith in himself to do what he dreams of doing. Rafiki also serves as the shaman of the lion king to present newborn cubs of the king and queen to the animals of the Pride Lands. A lioness friend of Kiara and a member of Simba's pride, who is somewhat more sensible than her constant companion Zuri. A lioness friend of Kiara and a member of Simba's pride, who hates grubs and getting dirty, and is somewhat vain. A honey badger, who is the bravest member of the Lion Guard. He is also Timon and Pumbaa's adoptive nephew and Kion's best friend. Bunga's fearless and hot-headed nature is grounded in reality, as real honey badgers are aggressive and fearless. A sassy cheetah, who is the fastest member of the Lion Guard, the only female member, Kion's friend and second-in-command. A lioness, who is Simba's best friend and later his future love-interest, Queen of the Pride Lands, and Kiara's mother. A lion, who is Simba and Nala's second-born son, Mufasa's grandson, Kiara's younger brother, the Prince of the Pride Lands, and the leader of the Lion Guard, as well as its fiercest member. As leader of the Guard, Kion possesses an intensely powerful ability known as the Roar of the Elders bestowed by the great lions of the past.
 * Matthew Broderick as Simba
 * Jeremy Irons as Scar
 * Nathan Lane as Timon
 * Ernie Sabella as Pumbaa
 * Nika Futterman as Zira
 * James Earl Jones as Mufasa
 * Eden Riegel as Kiara
 * Jason Marsden as Kovu
 * Alfre Woodard as Sarabi
 * Andy Dick as Nuka
 * Lacey Chabert as Vitani
 * Rowan Atkinson as Zazu
 * Khary Payton as Rafiki
 * Sarah Hyland as Tiifu
 * Madison Pettis as Zuri
 * Joshua Rush as Bunga
 * Diamond White as Fuli
 * Gabrielle Union as Nala
 * Max Charles as Kion

Additionally, Anga, Makini, Jasiri, Beshte, and Ono from The Lion Guard will reportedly also appear. However, it hasn't been confirmed whether their respective voice actors (Bryana Salaz, Landry Bender, Maia Mitchell, Dusan Brown, and Atticus Shaffer) will return to reprise their roles.

Development
Shortly after the success of the 2019 live-action remake of The Lion King, the film's director Jon Favreau announced there would a reboot of the 2019 animated remake of the 1994 film. Favreau, Rob Minkoff, Roger Allers, Don Hahn and Ford Riley, the executive producer of The Lion Guard, came on board to tie the original films and television series together on a computer program known as Movie Maker, later Filmora.

The film will include the 1994 original release of The Lion King, its 1998 sequel The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, its 2004 midquel/prequel The Lion King 1½, and as well as numerous episodes of The Lion Guard.

Casting
In July 2019, the majority of the voice cast was announced, including Matthew Broderick, Jeremy Irons, Rowan Atkinson, Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, Lacey Chabert, Andy Dick, and James Earl Jones reprising their respective roles as Simba, Scar, Zazu, Timon, Pumbaa, Vitani, Nuka, and Mufasa from the original film.

Music
In July 2019, Hans Zimmer signed on to compose the film's score. Christopher Willis, who composes the musical score in The Lion Guard, will also contribute music to the score, using Zimmer's musical note of "This Land" from the original 1994 film to create a new hybrid theme.

Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, who voices Nala in the live-action remake, will write a new song with Elton John, who had signed onto the project to rework his musical compositions shortly before his retirement, and several songs written by John, Tim Rice, and Beau Black will also be featured as well.

Release
The film will be released in North America on July 19, 2024, to mark the 30th anniversary of the release of The Lion King.