The Lion King Reborn

The Lion King: The Special Edition Cut is an upcoming American 2018 film distributed by Disney, released by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, and directed by Roger Allers, Rob Minkoff, Darrell Rooney, Rob LaDuca, and Bradley Raymond. The film is expected to have the films The Lion King, The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, The Lion King 1 1/2, and The Lion King's Timon and Pumbaa so it can tell the whole story.

Featuring songs by Elton John and Tim Rice, the film features an ensemble voice cast starring Matthew Broderick, Jeremy Irons, Moira Kelly, James Earl Jones, Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, Rowan Atkinson, Edward Hibbert, Robert Guillaume, Madge Sinclair, Suzhanne Pleshette, Jason Marsden, Neve Campbell, Julie Kavner, Jerry Stiller, Andy Dick, Jennifer Lien, Corey Burton, Jim Cummings, Whoopi Goldberg, and Cheech Marin. The film also marks the last film appearance of Guillaume who died in October 2017 as the film dedicates his memory.

It is scheduled to be released in 2018 sometime.

Premise
As a lion cub named Simba is born to be King of Pride Rock, he gets banished by his uncle Scar after killing his brother Mufasa in a wildebeest stampede. To get back to his home, he'll need help from his former friend Nala, his new friends Timon and Pumbaa, his shaman, Rafiki, and to learn about his past.

Cast

 * Matthew Broderick as Simba, Mufasa's son, Nala's husband who grows up to be the King of Pride Rock. Joseph Williams and Cam Clarke provide the singing voice of Simba. Jonathan Taylor Thomas and Matt Weinberg voice Simba as a cub, while Weinberg, Jason Weaver and Evan Saucedo voicing the cub's singing voice.
 * Broderick also voices Leopard "Jonathan" Hahn. The character's named after producer Don Hahn and Jonathan Roberts. During King Leopold's execution scene, Hahn gets kicked out after claiming that he didn't watch over Leopold's daughter, Claudia.
 * Jeremy Irons as Scar, Mufasa's mischievous younger brother and Simba's uncle who seeks to take the throne.
 * Moira Kelly as Nala, Simba's best friend later former wife as the Queen of Pride Rock. Sally Dworsky provides the singing voice of Nala.
 * Niketa Calame voices Nala as a cub, while Laura Williams provided her singing voice.
 * James Earl Jones as Mufasa, Simba's father and the previous King of Pride Rock.
 * Madge Sinclair as Sarabi, Simba's mother, Mufasa's wife, Kiara's grandmother and the previous Queen of Pride Rock.
 * Rowan Atkinson and Edward Hibbert as Zazu, a hornbill who is the Mufasa's, later Simba's majordomo.
 * Robert Guillaume as Rafiki, a wise old mandrill and the shaman of Pride Rock who presents the new King and Queen to the animals. This marks the last film appearance of Guillaume who died in October 2017.
 * Frank Welker as King Leopold, the King of the leopards.
 * Suzhanne Pleshette as Zira, the leader of the Outsiders and the mother of Kovu, Vitani and Nuka.
 * Jason Marsden as Kovu, the youngest son of Zira who then becomes Kiara's husband. Ryan O'Donohue voices Kovu as a cub.
 * Neve Campbell as Kiara, Simba and Nala's daughter and the Princess of Pride Rock. Michelle Horn voices Kiara as a cub, while Charity Sanoy provides her singing voice and Ashley Edner provides her lion growls.
 * Jennifer Lien as Vitani, the daughter of Zira and the sister of Kovu and Nuka. Lacey Chabert voices Vitani as a cub, while Crysta Macalush provides her singing voice.
 * Andy Dick as Nuka, the older son of Zira who is the brother of Kovu and Vitani.
 * Ernie Sabella as Pumbaa, a naïve warthog who suffers from flatulence and is Timon's best friend and also becomes one of Simba's best friends and adoptive parents.
 * Nathan Lane as Timon, a wise-cracking and self-absorbed yet somewhat loyal meerkat who becomes one of Simba's best friends and adoptive parents.
 * Julie Kavner as Ma, Timon's caring mother who is overly protective and attached to her son, often trying to get him accepted amongst the colony, but never succeeding.
 * Jerry Stiller as Uncle Max, Timon's paranoid, eccentric but deep down kind-hearted uncle.
 * Jim Cummings, Whoopi Goldberg and Cheech Marin as Azazi, Shenzi and Kamari, three spotted hyenas who serve as the predators in Timon's colony before serving as the henchmen for Scar.
 * Cummings also voices a mole that talks with Zazu and makes a guest appearance as Scar during "Be Prepared" and Simba's nightmare after Irons blew his voice.
 * Corey Burton as Quint, a muscular Safari hunter who allies with Scar and Zira to seek revenge on Simba, Timon and Pumbaa.
 * Zoe Leader as Sarafina, Nala's mother and a close friend of Sarabi.
 * Jason Rudofsky as Flinchy, a member in Timon's colony.

Additionally, Tara Strong voices Claudia, Leopold's daughter who is the Princess of the leopards and a daredevil. The meerkats in Timon's colony includes: director Bradley Raymond as Fearless Buzz; Jeff Bennett as Iron Joe; and S. Scott Bullock as Fred. Nancy Cartwright has a supporting role as Pumbaa Jr., a crocodile who Pumbaa thinks is a warthog.

Release
The film is expected to be release sometime in 2018. It was originally planned to be released in summer of 2017.