The Lion King Reborn

"Remember who you are. You are my son and the one true king. Remember who you are."

- Mufasa's ghost to Simba

The Lion King: The King Has Returned is an upcoming American animated Epic Muscial drama film released by Disney and DisneyToon Studios, as well as distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. As the film was directed by Rob Minkoff, Roger Allers, Don Bluth, Darrell Rooney, Rob LaDuca and Bradley Raymond, produced by Don Hahn, Jon Favreau, Jeannine Roussel and George A. Mendoza, and written by a ensemble group of story writers, it is also the 17th film in the Disney Extended Platinum Collections.

Featuring songs by Elton John and Tim Rice, the film also includes an ensemble voice cast starring Matthew Broderick as Simba, Jeremy Irons as Scar, Moira Kelly as Nala, Suzanne Pleshette as Zira, Rowan Atkinson as Zazu, Nathan Lane as Timon Berkowitz, Ernie Sabella as Pumbaa Smith, Jim Cummings as Azazi, Whoopi Goldberg as Shenzi, Cheech Marin as Kamari, Julie Kavner as Ma "Gertrude" Berkowitz, Jason Marsden as Kovu, Neve Campbell as Kiara, Jerry Stiller as Max Berkowitz, Madge Sinclair as Sarabi, Robert Guillaume as Rafiki, and Andy Dick as Nuka. It also marks the last film appearance of Guillaume, who died in October 2017 as the film dedicates his memory.

Plot
In the Pride Lands of Africa, a lion rules over the animal kingdom from Pride Rock. Zazu, a hornbill and the king's majordomo, informs Rafiki, the king's shaman, about King Mufasa's son Simba's royal reputation being at stake, and is a bit concerned about Timon Berkowitz and Pumbaa Smith. Because he knows about Pumbaa's being an outcast (due to his odor), Zazu has yet to know about Timon's being an outcast. Rafiki then tells Zazu the story of what happened...

Timon is a social outcast in his meerkat colony on the outskirts of the Pride Lands known as the "Pit of Shame". Though he is unconditionally supported by his mother Ma, Timon dreams for more in life than his colony's bleak existence hiding from predators. One day, he is assigned as a sentry, but his daydreaming nearly leads to the death of his Uncle Max by a group of spotted hyenas named Azazi, Shenzi and Kamari. This marks the last straw for the colony, while Timon decides to have a date with the princess of the meerkats, Tatiana. As he takes a shower, a giant cobra breaks in and kidnaps Tatiana. As it saddens the colony, the Captain of the guards senses that Timon isn't with the other guards, and when they see Timon about to date, the guards chase after him. Timon runs into a dead end after facing the Duke, and is put on trial for abandoning his guard post. The jury finds Timon guilty for that and he is sentenced to live in banishment, cast out of the colony. Ma tries to convince his son to be back in, prompting Timon to leave to find a better life.

Timon meets Rafiki, who teaches him about "Hakuna Matata" (meaning "No Worries" in Swahili) and advises him to "look beyond what you see". Timon takes the advice literally and observes Pride Rock in the distance. Believing Pride Rock to be his paradise home, Timon ventures there, but then gets lost and alone, and gasps at the sound of laughter and finds himself inside the mouth of Azazi. He runs out of Azazi's mouth and runs into Pumbaa, who was captured by the hyenas. Pumbaa, having been tricked, asks Timon if they invited him over for dinner too. The hyenas gang up on them, saying that they'll have a little "'kat"-nip, and then that they'll "pig" out. Timon and Pumbaa make a run for it, away from the hyenas, and they say their goodbyes and go their separate ways. However, that wouldn't last...

In the evening, while heading to Pride Rock, Timon runs into Pumbaa again, with the latter asking the former if he was going to the colony. The two quickly form a bond and Pumbaa accompanies Timon. The adventure start to where Mufasa's newborn son, Simba is being presented. The pair arrive at Pride Rock, but as they make their way through the crowd of onlookers, Pumbaa explosively passes gas, causing nearby animals to faint but prompting animals further away to bow to Mufasa. Following this, Timon and Pumbaa start to live in the cave as Rafiki holds up Simba for the animals to bow. 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. Mufasa's younger brother, Scar, covets the throne and plots to eliminate Mufasa and Simba so he may become king. He tricks Simba and his best friend Nala — to whom Simba is betrothed — into exploring a forbidden elephants' graveyard, where they are attacked by three spotted hyenas who are in league with Scar. As Timon and Pumbaa were forced away from their dream home from Simba singing "I Just Can't Wait to Be King", they witness Mufasa saving Zazu and the cubs. Though angry with Simba, Mufasa forgives him and explains that the great kings of the past, also the two main kings God and Christ watch over them from the night sky, from which he will one day watch over Simba.

Scar sets 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. He informs Mufasa of Simba's peril, knowing the king will rush to save his son. Mufasa saves Simba but ends up hanging perilously from the gorge's edge. Scar refuses to help Mufasa, instead sending him falling to his death. As Timon and Pumbaa were also caught in the stampede, they were thrown off a waterfall. Scar then convinces Simba that the tragedy was Simba's own fault and advises him to flee the kingdom. He orders the hyenas to kill the cub, but Simba escapes. Scar tells the pride that both Mufasa and Simba were killed in the stampede and steps forward as the new king, allowing a large pack of hyenas to live in the Pride Lands. With the pair exhausted, Timon decides to give up, until Pumbaa discovers a luxurious green jungle. The pair finally settle there with the philosophy of "Hakuna Matata".

A short while later, the silence of the jungle is broken after Timon hears Tatiana's cry for help while about to become a sacrifice for the cobra. Pumbaa feels that once Timon saves her, the warthog would be alone again, but Timon disagrees, saying that once he rescues Tatiana, Pumbaa would join the colony, and that he would no longer be an outcast. Pumbaa is overjoyed by this, and the two of them rescue Tatiana, then welcome her into their paradise. After noticing porcupines and trying to strike them, Timon and Pumbaa encounter Simba in a nearby desert, who collapsed nearly dead. The pair rescue him and decide to raise him under their philosophy. Years later, Simba as a young adult rescues Timon and Pumbaa from a hungry lioness who turns out to be Nala. She and Simba reunite and fall in love, and she urges 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 off. He encounters Rafiki, who tells him that Mufasa' spirit lives on in Simba. Simba is visited by the ghost of Mufasa 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.

Too much for Timon's horror, Nala and Rafiki explain that Simba had run off to challenge Scar, and that they need their help. Hurt that Simba left them, Timon unsuccessfully tries to persuade Pumbaa to stay, but Pumbaa follows Simba and Nala. Timon indulges in the jungle's luxuries by himself, but loneliness starts to overcome him. Rafiki appears again and helps Timon realize that his true Hakuna Matata is with the ones he loves, prompting Timon to take off after Simba, Nala and Pumbaa.

Timon catches up and reconciles with Pumbaa, before they journey onward to Pride Rock. Aided by his friends, Simba sneaks past the hyenas at Pride Rock and confronts Scar. Scar taunts him over his role in Mufasa's death and backs him to the edge of the 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. As Timon and Pumbaa run into Ma and Max, who came looking for him, Timon proposes that they all help Simba by getting rid of the hyenas. Nala, Sarabi, Timon, Pumbaa, Rafiki, Zazu, and the lionesses fend off the hyenas while Ma and Max are directed to construct a series of tunnels beneath the hyenas, and Timon and Pumbaa use various tactics to distract them while the tunnel is being made. When the tunnels are finished, Max knocks down the sticks, breaking the ground under the hyenas. However, the last few get stuck, prompting Timon to dive underground and break them himself. The cave-in commences, and the hyenas are ejected through the tunnels. Scar, attempting to escape, is then cornered by Simba at the top of Pride Rock. Scar begs for mercy and attempts to blame the hyenas for his actions; Simba spares his life but orders him to leave the Pride Lands forever. Scar attacks his nephew, but Simba manages to toss him from the top of the rock. Scar survives the fall but is killed by the hyenas, who 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. As Simba thanked Timon and Pumbaa for helping him, Timon knew it was time to show his meerkat colony of what it's like with no predators. Later, after seeing that Tatiana is saved by Timon, the colony opens the front gate in joyous celebration. At the trial, all charges against Timon are dropped for the brave, cunning, and resourceful rescue of Tatiana, and as an added bonus, the Duke offers Timon the key to the city and Tatiana offers her hand to him in marriage. After Pumbaa reminds him, Timon asks the Duke to declare Pumbaa an official member of the colony — but the Duke says that only meerkats are allowed to live in the colony, and gives Timon a choice between anything he could ever want (power, riches and love) or being Pumbaa's friend. Timon finally decides to have Tatiana for marriage and Pumbaa for being his friend, before he had an announcement that the meerkats don't have to dig tunnels or worry about hyenas anymore. A couple of days later, Timon takes Ma, Max, Tatianta and the meerkat colony to live in the predator-free jungle to complete his "Hakuna Matata"; and he is praised as their hero.

Later, the duo had to left because King Simba and Queen Nala's newborn daughter, Kiara, was presented to the assembled animals by Rafiki as Mufasa proudly watches over the ceremony from the heavens above. Kiara becomes annoyed with her father's overprotective parenting. Simba assigns Timon and Pumbaa, a meerkat and warthog, to follow her. Kiara ignores her father's warning and the duo's attention and enters the "Outlands," where she meets a young cub, Kovu, and they escape from crocodiles while befriending each other. When Kovu retaliates to Kiara's playing, Simba confronts the young cub just as he is confronted by Zira, Kovu's mother and the Outsiders' leader. Zira reminds Simba of how he exiled her and the other Outsiders, and she reveals that Scar selected Kovu to be his successor despite not being his biological father.

After returning to the Pride Lands, Nala and the rest of the pride head back to Pride Rock while Simba lectures Kiara about the danger posed by the Outsiders. He then tells her that they are a part of each other. In the Outlands, Zira reminds Kovu that Simba killed Scar and exiled the lionesses who respected him. Kovu explains that he does not think it is so bad to have Kiara as a friend, but Zira realizes she can use Kovu's friendship with Kiara to seek revenge on Simba.

Several years later, Kiara, now a young adult, begins her first solo hunt. Simba has Timon and Pumbaa follow her in secret, causing her to hunt away from the Pride Lands. As part of Zira's plan, Kovu's siblings Nuka and Vitani trap Kiara in a fire, allowing Kovu to rescue her. Unable to thank the young rogue, Simba is forced to accept Kovu's place since he rescued Kiara. Later that night, Simba has a nightmare about attempting to save Mufasa from falling into the wildebeest stampede but is stopped by Scar who then morphs into Kovu and sends Simba to his death.

The next day, Kovu contemplates attacking Simba as he was instructed to, but he teaches Kiara how to hunt instead and eventually realizes his feelings for her. Later, 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. Simba watches the two from afar and Nala convinces him to give Kovu a chance. Kovu attempts to reveal his mission to Kiara, but Rafiki interrupts and leads them to the jungle, where he introduces them to "upendi" (an erroneous form of upendo, which means "love" in Swahili). The two lions fall in love. That night, Simba allows Kovu to sleep inside Pride Rock with the rest of the pride, but Vitani tells Zira about Kovu's failure to kill Simba. Zira sets a trap for her son and Simba.

The next day, Kovu attempts to reveal his mission to Kiara, but Simba takes him around the Pride Lands and tells him the real story of how Scar died. The Outsiders attack Simba and Kovu attempts to intervene, but Vitani injures him. Nuka attempts to kill Simba, but Simba escapes and Nuka is killed. Zira scratches Kovu for his brother's death, causing him to turn on her. Kovu returns to Pride Rock to plead Simba for his forgiveness but is exiled. Kiara makes Simba realize that he is acting irrationally and then flees to find Kovu. The two lions later find each other and profess their love. Zira and the Outsiders then head to Pride Rock which causes a war to happen with them against the Pridelanders. Realizing that they must reunite the two prides, Kiara and Kovu return to the Pride Lands and convince them to stop fighting each other.

Rafiki however interrupts the story, saying that Zazu could go see Simba at any time now. Zazu however wants to hear the end of the story, and says Simba probably just needs "his diaper changed". Little does Zazu know that Simba has overheard, and wants to know the end of the story as well.

When Zira attempts to kill Simba, Kiara intervenes and Zira falls to her death. With his enemy gone, Simba accepts the Outsiders back into the Pride Lands, and appoints Kovu and Kiara as his successors.

In a post-credits scene, Kiara helps Jim Hawkins with his RLS Legacy recuperation.

Cast
Son of Queen Sarabi and King Mufasa, who grows up to be the king of Pride Rock. Joseph Williams and Cam Clarke provided the singing voice of Simba. Mufasa's mischievous younger brother and Simba's uncle, who overtakes the throne. Simba's best friend later wife as the queen of Pride Rock and the lead of Lora Kilaje, a group of lionesses, who serve as Simba's bodyguards. Sally Dworsky provided the singing voice of Nala. Scar's widow and the leader of exiled lion groups named "Outsiders". A hornbill, who is the the majordomo ("Mufasa's little stooge" as Shenzi calls him) of the Lion King. Jeff Bennett provided the character's singing voice. The younger son of Zira, who later becomes Kiara's husband and the prince of Pride Rock. Gene Miller provided his singing voice. Simba and Nala's daughter and the princess of Pride Rock, who also designs new technology for the country of Africa. Liz Callaway provided Kiara's singing voice. A wise-cracking and self-absorbed yet somewhat loyal meerkat, who becomes one of Simba's best friends and adoptive parents. 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. A group of spotted hyenas, who first serve as predators in Timon's colony before severing as the henchmen for Scar. 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. Simba's mother, Mufasa's wife, Kiara's grandmother and the previous queen of Pride Rock. Angela Bassett and Zoe Leader provided the rest of Sarabi's lines after Sinclair's death in December 1995. A wise old mandrill and the shaman of Pride Rock, who presents the new king to the animals. He is also the narrator of the film. This marks the last film appearance of Guillaume, who died in October 2017 as Khary Payton and Jim Cummings provided the other lines for Raifki. The older son of Zira, who is the older brother of Kovu and Vitani. Zira's daughter and the princess of the Outlands. Lacey Chabert voiced Vitani as a cub, while Crysta Macalush provided the cub's singing voice. A young baboon, who becomes Rafiki's apprentice. A king of Pride Rock, Scar's older brother and Simba's father, who ends up being killed in the wildebeest stampede, but later appears in the heavens.
 * Matthew Broderick as Simba:
 * Jonathan Taylor Thomas and Matt Weinberg voiced Simba as a cub, while Jason Weaver and Evan Saucedo provided the cub's singing voice.
 * Jeremy Irons as Scar:
 * Daniel Radcliffe voiced Scar as a teenager cub.
 * Moira Kelly as Nala:
 * Niketa Calame voiced Nala as a cub, while Laura Williams provided the cub's singing voice.
 * Suzanne Pleshette as Zira:
 * Rowan Atkinson as Zazu:
 * Jason Marsden as Kovu:
 * Ryan O'Donohue voiced Kovu as a cub.
 * Neve Campbell as Kiara:
 * Michelle Horn voiced Kiara as a cub, while Charity Sanoy provided the cub's singing voice. Ashley Edner provided her lion growls.
 * Nathan Lane as Timon Berkowitz:
 * Ernie Sabella as Pumbaa Smith:
 * Jim Cummings, Whoopi Goldberg and Cheech Marin as Azazi, Shenzi and Kamari:
 * Cummings also voiced Gopher, a mole that talks to Zazu.
 * Julie Kavner as Ma "Gertrude" Berkowitz:
 * Jerry Stiller as Max Berkowitz: Timon's paranoid, eccentric but deep down kind-hearted uncle.
 * Carl Lumbly as Ahadi: A previous king of Pride Rock and Scar and Mufasa's father.
 * Madge Sinclair as Sarabi:
 * Robert Guillaume as Rafiki:
 * Andy Dick as Nuka:
 * Jennifer Lien as Vitani:
 * Ford Riley as Sumu: A black scorpion in the Outlands, who later works for Scar.
 * Landry Bender as Makini:
 * James Earl Jones as Mufasa:

Additionally, Sarah Silverman reprised her voice role as Vanellope von Schweetz from the movie Wreck-It Ralph in a cameo appearance. Tress MacNeille voiced Tatiana, the princess of the meerkats and Timon's lover Zoe Leader had a supporting role as Nala's mother Sarafina, and S. Scott Bullock voiced Timon's rival Fred.

Sarah Hyland and Madison Pettis voiced Kiara's friends, Tiifu and Zuri; Jeff Bennett voiced the Duke Meerkat, while also voiced Iron Joe, a meerkat on sentry duty before Timon took his place. Several voice actors and actresses voiced several meerkats including: Rob Paulsen as Swifty; Jason Rudofsky as Flinchy; Cam Clarke as Stumpy; and director Bradley Raymond as Buzz Berkowitz, the fearless meerkat there ever was and Timon's late father. Pat Fraley voiced Jumbo Jumbo, a elephant wanting to have a day off, as Brian Tochi voiced a fighting hyena, while Frank Welker provided vocals for the animals, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt had an uncredited cameo reprising his role as Jim Hawkins from Treasure Planet in a post-credits scene.

Release
The film is expected to be release sometime in 2018. It was originally planned to be released in summer of 2017, known as The Lion King: The Special Edition Cut. It is to be rated PG-13 for violence, action and scary images, and for some suggestive content and partial nudity.

Soundtrack
As the score was composed by Hans Zimmer, Nick Glennie-Smith, Don L. Harper and Christopher Willis, the songs were written by Elton John, Lebo M. and Tim Rice. Elton and Lebo performed some of the songs as additional performers include Raven-Symoné, Gil Scott-Heron, Carmen Twillie, Vinx, Drew K., The French, Nathan Lane, Cheech Marin, Jim Cummings, Whoopi Goldberg, Jason Weaver, Rowan Atkinson, Laura Williams, Jeremy Irons, Ernie Sabella, Sally Dworsky, Joseph Williams, Charity Sanoy, Cam Clarke, Crysta Macalush, Suzanne Pleshette, Andy Dick, Robert Guillaume, Liz Callaway and Gene Miller.

Track Listing

 * 1) Grazing in the Grass – Raven-Symoné
 * 2) The Revolution Will Be Televised – Gil Scott-Heron
 * 3) Circle of Life – Lebo M. and Carmen Twillie
 * 4) Diggah Tunnah Dance – Lebo M. and Vinx
 * 5) That's All I Need – Nathan Lane
 * 6) I Just Can't Wait To Be King – Rowan Atkinson, Ernie Sabella, Jason Weaver, Laura Williams and Nathan Lane
 * 7) The Morning Report – Jeff Bennett, James Earl Jones and Evan Saucedo
 * 8) Be Prepared – Jeremy Irons, Nathan Lane, Whoopi Goldberg, Cheech Marin and Jim Cummings
 * 9) Hakuna Matata – Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, Jason Weaver and Joeseph Williams
 * 10) The Lion Sleeps Tonight – Lebo M.
 * 11) Jungle Boogie – Drew K. and The French
 * 12) The Madness of King Scar – Jeremy Irons, Jeff Bennett, Jim Cummings, Whoopi Goldberg, Sally Dworsky and Cheech Marin
 * 13) Shadowland – Sally Dworsky
 * 14) Can You Feel the Love Tonight – Nathan Lane, Kristine Edwards, Joseph Williams, Sally Dworsky and Ernie Sabella
 * 15) Endless Night – Joseph Williams
 * 16) He Lives in You – Lebo M.
 * 17) My Lullaby – Suzanne Pleshette, Andy Dick and Crysta Macalush
 * 18) Upendi – Robert Guillaume
 * 19) We Are One – Cam Clarke and Charity Sanoy
 * 20) Love Will Find A Way – Gene Miller and Liz Callaway

Critical response
The Lion King: The Special Edition Cut was released to critical acclaim. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a rating of 97%, based on 251 reviews, with an average rating of 8.5 out of 10. On Metacritic, the film has a score of 88 out of 100, based on 32 critics, indicating "universal acclaim". CinemaScore reported that audiences gave the film a rare "A+" grade. IMDb holds a score of 7.8/10.