The Lion King Reborn

The Lion King: Return of the King is an upcoming American animated epic muscial comedy-drama film released by Walt Disney Pictures and Walt Disney Animation Studios, as well as distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It serves a extended version of Disney's well-known animated film The Lion King, conjoining it with its sequels and spin-offs. As the film was directed by Rob Minkoff, Roger Allers and Howy Parkins, produced by Don Hahn, and written by a ensemble group of story writers, it is also the 16th film in the Disney Platinum Universe.

Featuring an alternate score by Ludwig Göransson and Nitin Sawhney, the film includes an ensemble voice cast led by Matthew Broderick as Simba, Rowan Atkinson as Zazu, Nika Futterman as Zira, Jeremy Irons as Taka / Scar, Gabrielle Union as Nala, Nathan Lane as Timon, Ernie Sabella as Pumbaa, Jason Marsden as Kovu, Eden Riegel as Kiara, Lacey Chabert as Vitani, Andy Dick as Nuka, Joshua Rush as Bunga, Madison Pettis as Zuri, Sarah Hyland as Tiifu, Diamond White as Fuli, with Angela Bassett as Sarabi, with Khary Payton as Rafiki, and Max Charles as Kion. The film also dedicates to Suzanne Pleshette and Robert Guillaume, the original voices of Rafiki and Zira, who who died in January 2008 and October 2017. The film tells the story of Simba, a young lion who is to succeed his father, Mufasa, as King of the Pride Lands after his uncle Scar murders his older brother and to challenge Scar to end his tyranny and take his place in the Circle of Life as the rightful King. Later on, it talks about Simba and Nala's children Kiara and Kion as he soon forms a new Lion Guard to protect the Pride Lands.

The film was a major critical and commercial success, receiving generally reviews from critics, who praised its humor, the cast (particularly Broderick, Irons, and Riegel), visual effects, emotional weight of the story, the dedications for Pleshette and Guillaume, and action scenes (particularly the final battle in the Outlands' volcano). The film is scheduled to be released in YouTube, IMAX 3D and AMC Theaters.

Plot
In 1992, Mufasa visits his father King Ahadi, who is working undercover in Oakland, California. Mufasa accuses Ahadi of assisting his younger brother Scar (born as Taka) with breaking the laws of the "Circle of Life" from Pride Rock. Ahadi's partner reveals he is Rafiki, the king's shaman, and confirms Mufasa's suspicions.

In the present Pride Lands of Africa, a lion rules over the animal kingdom from Pride Rock. Timon is a social outcast in his meerkat colony on the outskirts of the Pride Lands known as the "Pit of Shame". Timon is also the son of his late Pa, who was the colony's greatest meerkat, nicknamed "Fearless Buzz". 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 Shenzi, Banzai and Ed; the colony's princess Tatiana also gets captured by the hyenas. This marks the last straw for the colony before the Duke 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 bumps into a warthog named Pumbaa. The two quickly form a bond and Pumbaa accompanies Timon. The adventure starts 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. 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 the cubs and Zazu, the king's majordomo. Though angry with Simba, Mufasa forgives him and explains that the great kings of the past 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 him. 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 Simba, but he escapes. Scar tells the pride that 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 a 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. Timon and Pumbaa then encounter Simba in a nearby desert, who collapsed nearly dead from the escape of Pride Rock. The pair rescue Simba and decide to raise him under their philosophy.

Several years later in the ruined Pride Lands, King Scar worries about not being favored among the Pride Landers while dealing with the problems mentioned by the hyenas and Nala. On top of that, Scar is driven mad by the delusions he has of Mufasa's ghost. To calm his mental illness, Zazu suggests Scar gets a queen, which leads Scar to choose Nala so they can produce cubs. However, she scratches him across the face as an act of refusal. Nala then sets out on a journey to find help against Scar's tyrannical reign.

Simba, now 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's 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. Timon, Pumbaa, Nala, Sarabi, Zazu, and the lionesses fend off the hyenas, alongside Ma and Max, who are directed to construct a series of tunnels beneath the hyenas; Rafiki also arrives to join the fight. 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 as Simba comes down to kill, Scar refuses to be healed, choosing to die a free king rather than be incarcerated; he is then 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 he looks up at the constellation of Leo. During that time though, he banished loyal lions that worked for Scar, including a red infant cub, who is Scar's hand-chosen one. 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 as he also decides to give up all the fancy stuff for Pumbaa. Timon then had an announcement that the colony don't have to dig tunnels or worry about predators anymore.

A couple of days later, Timon, Pumbaa and Simba take Ma, Max, Tatianta, Timon's rival Fred, the Duke and the entire colony to live in the predator-free jungle to complete his "Hakuna Matata"; and Timon is praised as their hero.

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, who come to visit him, 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.

Kion, the second-born cub of Simba and Nala, discovers that he has the ability to channel the roars of the Great Lions of the Past, giving him fierce power just like Scar, who had the same power before him, but who tragically misused it for evil and lost it forever. 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 the honey badger, Ono the egret, Beshte the hippopotamus and Fuli the cheetah 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 Janja's hyena clan and Mzingo the vulture, Simba realizes that Kion has protected the Pride Lands and is indeed ready to lead his new Lion Guard.

Simba leaves Kiara in charge of the Pride Lands while he and Nala go to Kilio Valley to attend a funeral for an old elephant friend named Amanifu who has just died. Upon learning of this from Mzingo, Janja decides to take advantage of Kiara's inexperience and comes up with a plan to take over the Pride Lands. Meanwhile, Simba is nervous about performing his eulogy in front of the elephants, including Amanifu's daughter, Ma Tembo. When Simba and Nala return back to Pride Rock, Simba and Bunga suddenly get trapped in a sinkhole, and the Lion Guard struggles to find a way to rescue them. While in the hole, Simba and Bunga find a tunnel that leads to Nandembo Caverns, and the guard heads to the cavern entrance in the hopes of meeting them inside. Meanwhile, Simba and Bunga realize that being raised by Timon and Pumbaa is something that they have in common: Hakuna Matata to which they, the Guard, Nala, Kiara and Ma Tembo sing along.

While helping the Lion Guard drive away Janja's clan following their attempted attack on a wildebeest herd, Ono temporarily loses his vision in his left eye when he gets dirt in it. When Janja overhears the news from Mzingo and the vultures, he plans to take advantage of this by trapping the Lion Guard between two rockslides in a narrow ravine with Cheezi and Chungu's help. Meanwhile, Rafiki tries to work on his paintings of the Lion Guard.

During a rainstorm, Bunga thinks that Rafiki's paintings can predict the future and believes that Kion will fall from a high tree. Soon, he and the rest of the Lion Guard desperately try to keep Kion from climbing trees. Meanwhile, Janja, Cheezi, and Chungu plan an attack on Thurston's zebra herd.

Bunga, Kion, Ono and Beshte search for Utamu grubs. On the way, Bunga tells the story of how he met Timon and Pumbaa. Meanwhile, Fuli goes on a mission alone and overexerts herself, leaving her vulnerable to an attack by Mzingo's flock of vultures.

When Makuu wins a Mashidano duel against Pua and becomes the leader of the crocodile float and invades hippo territory, chaos ensues for the Pride Lands. Kion is torn between fighting and surrendering and struggles to find a middle path to stand his ground to resolve the situation. Meanwhile, Ono tries to find a way to free Bunga from his stinky smell.

When Kion winds up in the Outlands after falling in a river, he meets Jasiri, a friendly female hyena who guides him to Flat Ridge Rock to regroup with the rest of the Lion Guard. When Jasiri gets cornered by Janja and his clan, Kion helps her fight them off. Meanwhile, the rest of the Guard struggle to find directions to Flat Ridge Rock.

A young elephant named Mtoto idolizes Beshte and soon sees him in action when both of them are attacked by Janja, Cheezi, and Chungu.

After each evil attempt (including a failed attack on a wildebeest herd), Janja kicks Cheezi and Chungu out of the Outlands and promotes Nne and Tano to be his seconds-in-command. While the Lion Guard makes sure that the Pride Lands' trails are safe after a big rainstorm, they find Cheezi and Chungu and reluctantly let them stay. Meanwhile, Nne and Tano plan an attack on an oryx herd and ditch Janja.

The Lion Guard rescues a baby baboon and Fuli is tasked with returning the baboon to its mother on Mapango Cliffs. Along the way, she has to avoid Mzingo's flock of vultures. Meanwhile, Kiara, Tiifu, and Zuri get trapped on an island after a flood. The Lion Guard helps rescue them in time for Kiara to preside over the cape buffalo herd's Royal Buffalo Wallow led by Vuruga Vuruga.

The Guard feels as though that Fuli has no family and invite her to join their individual activities, oblivious to the fact that she enjoys being alone. Meanwhile, Bunga lets immunity go to his head after being told that he is immune to Ushari the Egyptian cobra's venom and goes to the Outlands to play in a volcano, where he is targeted by Janja and his clan.

The Lion Guard discovers from Laini and her group of galagos that a leopard named Badilli has moved into their tree. They find out that Badilli has been driven out of his home by the mean leopard Mapigano who has taken over his territory in Mirihi Forest in the Back Lands. The guard teaches Badilli to stand up to Mapigano and reclaim his territory.

During the celebrated holiday of Kupatana in the Pride Lands, Kion and his friends rescue a jackal pup from Janja and his clan, but they soon discover that he is in a family of jackals and the matriarch, Reirei, manages to fool the Lion Guard into letting them stay. While the Lion Guard is on night patrol after the Kupatana celebration, they mistake a pack of aardwolves for hyenas. Kion Roars at them which sends them flying into the Outlands and causes a massive termite infestation in the Pride Lands. The Lion Guard soon realizes their mistake and travel to the Outlands to bring the aardwolves back. However, Reirei and Goigoi have their sights on the aardwolves as well.

Muhimu asks Bunga to watch over her son Hamu while she takes some time to relax. Before long, other animals ask Bunga to watch their kids as well. While watching over the young animals, Bunga works to keep them safe from Reirei's Pack. Meanwhile, Goigoi tries to keep the Lion Guard from going to Hakuna Matata Falls to see how Bunga's getting on.

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, Ushari inadvertently finds out that Kion talks to the spirit of Mufasa. When ambushed by Janja and his 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 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's clan steals 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. Scar then proclaims "it seems the war had just begun".

Jasiri 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 cubs named Tunu and Wema. When he goes to help, he encounters the Outsider lions and Zira alongside her siblings Nuka and Vitani. Zira 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.

Kion uses the Roar of the Elders in anger when Janja's clan attack Nala. As a result, Kion loses control of the Roar and its power almost harms her. Worried that he nearly hurt his mother, Kion feels that he should never use the Roar again. Meanwhile, Ono feels self–conscious after the Roar blows off his head feathers. Overhearing Kion's plans to never use the Roar again, Makuu and his float of crocodiles take advantage of the opportunity and take over the Flood Plains. With some convincing from Mufasa and Nala, Kion gains the confidence to use the Roar when he confronts Makuu.

The Lion Guard encounters two gorilla princes named Majinuni and Hafifu who have a message for Simba on behalf of their father King Sokwe of the Theluji mountains. However, the gorilla brothers have forgotten the message. Simba explains to Kion that every wet season, Sokwe gives Simba a message to let him know if their peace treaty still stands. The guard goes back to the mountain to get the message with the gorilla brothers, who are reluctant to face their father. On the way, Kion, Bunga, Fuli, Ono, and Beshte experience snow for the first time.

Nala takes Kion and Kiara on a special trip to find Udugu. With Kion away, Simba leads the Lion Guard to help both Mbuni's ostrich flock and Swala's gazelle herd. When Simba orders the guard to follow his command, they make matters worse. Meanwhile, Nala disappears and Kion and Kiara have to work together to find her. Afterwards, Nala reveals that Udugu is not a place but a word that means "kinship" or the bond between siblings, and Simba learns that the Lion Guard works best not when they do exactly what he does but doing what they each do best.

When Beshte's dad Basi gets injured by a frightened young rhino while creating hippo lanes in the flood plains after a big rainstorm, Beshte must step up and make the hippo lanes instead. Meanwhile, Kion, Bunga, Ono, and Fuli lead a herd of stubborn sable antelope led by Bupu to higher ground, and Makuu and his float of crocodiles return and try to get rid of Basi so that there will be no rules to stop them.

When Janja, Cheezi, and Chungu target the Tikiti melons which hold water that the elephants need during the dry season, Scar orders Ushari to enlist his rock monitor lizard friend named Kenge to deal with the Lion Guard. His venomous bite temporarily paralyzes Kion, Fuli, and Beshte, causing Ono to enlist Makini to find a remedy to heal them faster while Rafiki is away. While Makini gets Ponya flowers for the remedy, Ono and Bunga are left to defend the Tikiti melons from Kenge and Janja's clan.

After Scar obtains the alliance with Reirei's pack, they work with Janja's clan to cause two different attacks in the Pride Lands at the same time, forcing the Lion Guard to split up to chase them down. In order to be in two places at once and to fool both Reirei and Janja's groups, Kion enlists the help of Tamaa to imitate the Guard's voices. Meanwhile, Scar orders Janja's clan to take down Rafiki while Reirei's pack causes a distraction elsewhere. The Guard realizes that Janja's clan are heading towards Rafiki and send Tamaa to confuse Reirei's pack while they go to assist Rafiki in fighting the hyenas. However, the jackals soon find out that Tamaa is tricking them and rush off to help the hyenas. During the battle, Scar appears in the flames of a nearby fire and speaks with Janja. Kion briefly witnesses Scar's spirit before it vanishes, but is unsure of what to make of it. With the help of Tamaa and Rafiki, the Guard wins the battle and Janja and Reirei retreat with their groups. In the area where Scar appeared, a scorch mark with a strange symbol remains. Rafiki recognizes it from paintings of the past as a sign of terrible evil, and goes off to consult the paintings to be sure. Kion then informs Rafiki that Scar has returned.

Seeking advice on how to defeat Scar, Rafiki sends Makini and Fuli to Urembo River to escort Kongwe, a wise old tortoise, to Pride Rock. Along the way, Fuli becomes frustrated with Kongwe's need to stop and observe things. However, after Ono had trouble infiltrating the Outlands without being detected by the vultures, the Lion Guard meets a chameleon named Kinyonga who offers to spy on Scar in the Outlands due to her ability to camouflage. She overhears Scar order Janja and his clan to block the river above Hakuna Matata Falls to prevent the Pride Lands from receiving a major water source. When they have to take a detour through the Back Lands, Fuli ends up taking Kongwe's advice on how to deal with Makucha. Meanwhile, Kion, Bunga, Ono, and Beshte patrol the Pride Lands and save some elands from a wildfire. Kinyonga ends up getting seen and is chased through the Outlands by the skinks. However, the guard sneaks into the Outlands and saves her by taking inspiration from her camouflage abilities, which they also use to surprise Janja's clan and stop them from carrying out Scar's plan.

The next day, during the Kumbuka celebration honoring the day that Simba defeated Scar, a scorpion named Sumu sent by Scar stings Simba, causing him to become very ill. Rafiki sends Zazu, Makini and the Lion Guard to the Outlands' volcano to get the volcanic ash needed to cure Simba by sundown. Meanwhile, Scar instructs Janja's clan to get rid of Jasiri, who was setting up a Hyena Resistance after learning that Scar returned, to get Reirei's pack on their side. Janja's clan end up trapping Jasiri and her clan's cubs, Tunu and Wema, in a steam vent. This causes her sister Madoa to enlist the Lion Guard to help rescue Jasiri with the unlikely help of Thurston.

Once Thurston, Makini and the Guard reach the volcano, they notice Jasiri, Tunu and Wema captured in the steam vent with Zazu captured in a bone cage, and Scar reveals himself to them and commands Janja's clan, Reirei's pack, Kiburi's float, Mzingo's flock, Sumu, Ushari, Kenge, and Shupavu's group to attack Makini and the Guard. After using the Roar on Scar's collective of Outlanders, in a similar way from saving Nala by Makuu's float, and saving Zazu with Jasiri alongside Tunu and Wema, Chungu and Cheezi somehow then betray Scar's army and start to help the Guard face the army back. Although feeling severely injured after a bite from Kenge's older brother Ojono, Kion felt conscious long enough to use the Roar directly at Scar's spirit, destroying him once and for all. As the Guard, the hyenas, Zazu, Thurston, and Makini head back to Pride Rock with the ash, escaping from the volcano, it begins to erupt again, then collapses, to which Njano, Reirei, Dogo, Nne, Kijana, Nyata, Ojono, Mzingo, Mwoga, Lone Gunslinger Vulture, Tamka, Reirei's siblings Zurlia, Hulkri and Reed, and Kiburi's younger brother Sulvrie flee from the incoming disaster out of the Outlands just as Shupavu, Kenge, Janja, Tano, Goigoi, Ushari, Sumu, Mlaria, Kiburi, Nudli, Waza, Twotia, Zusia, Nyeusi, Dora, and Monty get caught in the rising lava, melting into ash as the volcano disintegrates into chunks of boulders.

While Simba is recuperating with the volcano ash, Kion, the Guard, and Makini peacefully watch the moon rising, smiling with satisfaction on the defeat of Scar as Mufasa proudly watches from the heavens above. Kion and Fuli then thank Chungu and Cheezi for their work and should be able to stay in the Pride Lands as long as they don't cause any trouble. The Guard then send back Jasiri with Tunu and Wema walk back to their hyena territory with Madoa.

In the termites mound, Zira reminds Kovu that Kion had just destroyed Scar. 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 exact revenge on Simba. She then soons form a resistance with the survived Outlanders from the volcano escape.

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 morning, 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 gets thrown off a cliff into a waterfall and Nuka is killed. Zira scratches Kovu for his brother's death, causing him to turn on her. After seeing Kovu, who has returned and suggested on what to do, Nala, Zazu, Sarabi, Kiara and Kion flee to the Night Pride for aid from their leader Rani. They find a comatose Simba, rescued by Rani in repayment for sparing her life. Healed by Nala's herb, Simba returns, but told Mufasa in his nightmare that he remembered how Kovu was Scar's chosen one; he then angrily announces Kovu's exile.

When they return to Pride Rock, Kovu pleads Simba for his forgiveness but gets exiled. Kiara makes Simba realize that he is acting irrationally and then, with Kion's help, flees to find Kovu. The two lions later find each other and profess their love. Zira, the Outsiders, and the survived Outlanders then head to Pride Rock which causes a war to happen with them against the Pridelanders as Zazu dive-bombs to take out the Outsiders. The Lion Guard alongside Rani and the Night Pride arrive to reinforce Simba. Realizing that they must reunite the two prides, Kiara and Kovu return to the Pride Lands and convince them to stop fighting each other. Just then, Kiara and Kovu appear to convince their parents to stop fighting. When Kiara appericates to accept Zira's pride to join, Zira attempts to kill Simba; Kiara intervenes and Zira falls to escape. 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 Buddy Pine / Syndrome with his RLS Legacy recuperation.

Cast


Son of Queen Sarabi and King Mufasa, who grows up to be king of Pride Rock. Joesph Williams provided the character's singing voice. Jonathan Taylor Thomas voiced Simba as a cub while Jason Weaver provided the cub's singing voice. A hornbill, who is the the majordomo ("Mufasa's little stooge" as Shenzi calls him) of the Lion King and a jungle administrator. Scar's widow and the leader of exiled lion groups named "Outsiders". She is also the mother of Kovu, Nuka and Vitani. Suzanne Pleshette was originally going to voice Zira with archive records from The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, but the character's lines were re-dubbed by Futterman after her death in January 2008. The film dedicates to Pleshette's memory. Mufasa's mischievous younger brother and Simba's uncle, who overtakes the throne. Once defeated by Simba and eaten alive by his hyena henchmen when he tried to pin the blame of Mufasa's death on them, he later becomes a dark spirit in the Outlands' volcano and soon forms an army with banished clans of many animal species (including vultures, skinks, jackals, crocodiles, etc.). He is also Zira's husband and the adoptive father of Kovu. Seth Carr voiced Scar as a cub. Simba's best friend later wife as queen of Pride Rock. Union re-dubbed the character's lines that were provided by Moira Kelly. Sally Dworsky provided the character's singing voice. Niketa Calame voiced Nala as a cub while Laura Williams provided the cub's singing voice. A wise-cracking and self-absorbed yet somewhat loyal meerkat, who is the son of his Ma and Pa, nicknamed "Fearless Buzz" and becomes one of Simba's best friends and adoptive parents. Executive producer and The Lion King 1½ producer George A. Mendoza voiced 15-year old Timon in meerkat years. A naïve warthog, who suffers from flatulence and soon becomes Timon's best friend and one of Simba's best friends and adoptive parents. Sabella also made two guest appearances as himself when Pumbaa and Timon watch him on a Walt Disney World message device. On the cameo appearance as himself, Sabella remarked, "It's Hakuna Matata... for a special guest on a animated movie with never-seen live action... Timon and Pumbaa see me as Pumbaa's voice actor! This (just) cracks me up!" The younger son of Zira, who was hand-chosen by Scar to take revenge on Simba. Gene Miller provided the character's singing voice. Ryan O'Donohue voiced Kovu as a cub alongside Marsden, who provided the rest for O'Donohue's lines.
 * Matthew Broderick as Simba:
 * Rowan Atkinson as Zazu:
 * Nika Futterman as Zira:
 * Jeremy Irons as Taka / Scar:
 * Gabrielle Union as Nala:
 * Nathan Lane as Timon:
 * Ernie Sabella as Pumbaa:
 * Jason Marsden as Kovu:
 * Eden Riegel as Kiara: Simba and Nala's daughter and princess of Pride Rock. Liz Callaway provided the character's singing voice. Michelle Horn voiced Kiara as a cub.
 * Lacey Chabert as Vitani: Zira's daughter and Kovu and Nuka's brother, who is princess of the Outsiders.

A hyena cub in the Outlands, who befriends as a reluctant ally with the Guard. Mitchell described her character "the most complicated anti-villain ever! As I got up to voice Jasiri, I was like, 'Are you kidding me?! Wow!', and the director asked me to try my best to personalize Jasiri's reactionary to Simba and Nala." Simba's mother, Mufasa's wife, Kiara and Kion's grandmother and the previous queen of Pride Rock. Bassett re-dubbed the character's lines provided by late actress Madge Sinclair. A wise old mandrill and the shaman of Pride Rock ("Silly blue-bottomed baboon" as Zazu calls him), who presents the new king to the animals. Robert Guillaume was originally going to reprise his voice role from the films, but died on October 2017 as the film dedicates his memory. Denzel Whitaker voiced Rafiki as Ahadi's young apprentice. Simba and Nala's second-born son, Sarabi and Mufasa's grandson, Kiara's younger brother, leader of the Guard and prince of Pride Rock. Charles described his role in the film as "a cameo... you get to be a little more vibrant; a little more irreverent; a little bit more colorful if you want it to be." Jacob Tremblay voiced Kion as a baby.
 * Andy Dick as Nuka: The older son of Zira, who is the older brother of Kovu and Vitani, and prince of the Outlanders.
 * 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.
 * Cheech Marin as Banzai: A Mexican-accented hyena and a member of Scar's chief henchmen, who were first known as predators in Timon's colony.
 * Jim Cummings as Ed: A dim-witted hyena, who does not talk, only communicating through sounds and body language. Cummings also provided additional voices.
 * Whoopi Goldberg as Shenzi: Leader of the hyena clan and is Banzai's mate.
 * Landry Bender as Makini: A young mandrill, who becomes Rafiki's apprentice and the reserve member of the Lion Guard.
 * Maia Mitchell as Jasiri:
 * Joshua Rush as Bunga: A honey badger, Kion's best friend, Timon and Pumbaa's adoptive nephew and the bravest member of the Guard, who was taught to his phrase "Zuka Zama". Pierce Gagnon voiced Bunga as a baby.
 * Diamond White as Fuli: A cheetah cub, one of Kion's best friends and the fastest member of the Guard. Quvenzhané Wallis voiced Fuli as a baby.
 * Dusan Brown as Beshte: A hippopotamus, one of Kion's best friends and the strongest member of the Guard.
 * Atticus Shaffer as Ono: A cattle egret, one of Kion's best friends and the keenest of sight of the Guard.
 * Peyton Elizabeth Lee as Rani: A young lioness and leader of the Night Pride.
 * Angela Bassett as Sarabi:
 * Khary Payton as Rafiki:
 * Max Charles as Kion:

Additionally, Madison Pettis and Sarah Hyland voiced Kiara's friends Zuri and Tiifu while Christian Myers, aka WindowsMyers2018, voiced a new character named Africalous (meaning "Mysterious"), a leopard in the Night Lands, who narrates during the film's climax. James Earl Jones and Zoe Leader voiced Simba's father Mufasa and Nala's mother Sarafina with Atandwa Kani voicing Mufasa as a cub. Sterling K. Brown voiced Ahadi, Scar and Mufasa's father, who appeared in several flashbacks alongside executive producer and The Lion King 1½ director Bradley Raymond as Timon's late father Fearless "Pa" Buzz. Tress MacNeille voiced Tatiana, the princess of the meerkats while S. Scott Bullock had a supporting voice role as Timon's rival Fred. Justin Felbinger voiced Mtoto, a baby elephant, who looks up to Beshte as his personal hero while Blair Underwood voiced Makuu, a crocodile becoming the new leader of the crocodile float, and Masise Klompus voiced Jasiri's sister Madoa. Kevin Michael Richardson voiced Beshte's father Basi while Dee Bradley Baker voiced Big Baboon, leader of the baboons alongside David Kaye as Thurston, a zebra and the leader of his herd. Virginia Watson and George Lopez voiced Muhanga and Mugangus, two aardvarks living in the Pride Lands' aardvark termite mounts. Charlie Adler voiced Mjomba, a aardwolf and leader of his clan alongside Marieve Herington and Ogie Banks as members Ogopa and Haya. Amy Poehler voiced Kinyonga, a Pride Lander chameleon, who changes into different colors. The Lion Guard director Howy Parkins voiced Mbeya, a rhinoceros and another wisest animal, who lives in the Pride Lands' waterhole and Gerald C. Rivers voiced Pua, the former leader of the local Nile crocodile float, who was challenged by Makuu to a "mashindano". Alfre Woodard, who would soon voice Sarabi in the 2019 remake of The Lion King, voiced Ahadi's mate and Scar and Mufasa's mother Uru. During post-production of the film, there wasn't enough time for the filmmakers to have Uru be in the film's flashbacks. To solve that, they filmed a voice cameo of Woodard as her character during the opening sequence involving the story of Ahadi and baby Scar.

In The Lion King: Return of the King, there are thirty-two speaking animals in the Outlands, who soon form the Army of Scar: Andrew Kishino as Janja, leader of his hyena clan; Christian Slater as Ushari, a European cobra, who soon becomes leader of the Army; Ana Gasteyer as Reieri, leader of the jackals; Common as Kiburi, leader of his float of crocodiles; Greg Ellis as Mzingo, leader of his vulture Parliament; Vargus Mason as Janja's second-in-command Cheezi; Kevin Schon as Janja's third-in-command Chungu; Beau Black as Janja's fourth-in-command Nne, Seth Green as Janja's fifth-in-command Tano; Hynden Walch as Janja's sixth-in-command Mlaria; Will Arnett as Mzingo's trainer the Lone Gunslinger Vulture, Cam Clarke as Mzingo's second-in-command Mwoga, Rodger Bumpass as Mzingo's third-in-command Twotia, Patrick Pinney as Mzingo's fourth-in-command Zusia; Phil LaMarr as Reieri's mate Goigoi; Jess Harnell as Reirei's son Dogo, with Jacob Guenther voicing the character as a pup; Kari Wahlgren as Reirei's daughter Kijana, with Amber Hood voicing the character as a pup; Jenny Slate, Fred Tatasciore, and Bryce Papenbrook as Zurlia, Hulkri, and Reed, Dogo's teenage siblings; Nolan North as Tamka, a crocodile and member on Kiburi's clan; Bill Hader as Nduli, a crocodile and another member on Kiburi's clan; Scott Menville as Kiburi's younger brother Sulvrie; Kristofer Hivju as Kenge, a monitor lizard; Meghan Strange as Shupavu, a sneaky fire skink and leader of the skinks; Tom Kenny as Njano, Shupavu's second-in-command; James Arnold Taylor as Nyeusi, Shupavu's third-in-command; Tara Strong as Dora, Shupavu's forth-in-command; Bob Bergen as Monty, Shupavu's fifth-in-command; Bill Fagerbakke as Kenge's older brother Ojono; and The Lion Guard developer Ford Riley as Sumu, the venomous scorpion sent in order to sting Simba. Menville was originally going to voice Tano, but then changed to voice a Sulvrie instead, leading Green to voice him in the theatrical release.

Scott Weinger, Linda Larkin, and Gilbert Gottfried reprise their voice roles as Aladdin, Princess Jasmine, and Iago from the Aladdin film series in a cameo appearance respectfully, while Dan Howell and Phil Lester voiced Majinuni and Hafifu, two gorilla brothers alongside Welsh actor John Rhys-Davies, who voiced their father King Sokwe. Russi Taylor voiced Mbuni, a ostrich and the leader of her flock and Alex Cartañá voiced Twiga, a young giraffe and the leader of her herd. Lyons Luke Mathias, McKenna Grace, Jacquez Swanigan, and Collin Dean voiced Kwato, Kambuni, Gumba, and Shauku, Mtoto's best friends who like to act as the Lion Guard. American rapper Queen Latifah voiced Ma Tembo, the leader of her elephant clan. Lynette DuPree was originally going to voice the character, but Latifah re-dubbed her lines as DuPree voiced Mtoto's mother in the final cut. Fiona Hart and Crimson Hart, who voiced Wema and Tunu, two hyena cubs and members in Jasiri's clan, and C. C. H. Pounder voiced Kungeo, a smartest tortoise in the Pride Lands. Jeff Bennett voiced the Duke of the meerkat colony while Jason Rudofsky voiced Flinchy, a meerkat on Sentry duty. Jack McBrayer voiced Badili, a friendly leopard in the Back Lands alongside Steven Blum and Jorge Diaz as Makucha and Mapigano, who are evilly leopards. Sinbad voiced Uroho, a thieving, conniving baboon, who excels in feigning pleasantness and charm. Moira Kelly, who was originally going to reprise her voice role as Nala in The Lion King films, and Erica Luttrell voiced several Outsider lionesses, and Jason Lee alongside Brad Bird have brief voice cameos reprising their roles as Buddy Pine / Syndrome and Edna Mode from The Incredibles series in the 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 for mild rude humor, action and peril. Christan Myers, who would soon voiced Africalous, came on board to tie in the films on Movie Maker. However, in April 2018, the film's title would then be changed to The Lion King: The King Has Returned with the Lion Guard confirmed. On May, the film's title was changed again to its official title: The Lion King: Return of the King.

The film includes The Lion King, The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, and The Lion King 1½ with some of the dialogue cut out.

Critical response
The Lion King: Return of the King was released to critical acclaim. On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a rating of "Certified Fresh" 100%, based on 528 reviews, with an average rating of 9.5 out of 10. The site's critical consensus reads, "The Lion King: Return of the King ably juggles a dizzying array of Disney heroes in the fight against their gravest threat yet, and the result is a thrilling, emotionally resonant blockbuster that (mostly) realizes its gargantuan ambitions. With a huge (excellent) choice of well-known actors, your families will enjoy this movie over-and-over again, from one years old to ninety-five years old." On Metacritic, the film has a score of 94 out of 100, based on 105 critics, indicating "universal acclaim". CinemaScore reported that audiences gave the film a rare "A+" grade. IMDb holds a score of 8.8/10.

Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter wrote, "The actors are all seen to very good advantage. Broderick certainly holds his own, but there are quite a few charismatic supporting players here keen to steal every scene they can – and they do, notably the physically imposing Irons, the radiant Union and especially Riegel, who gives her every scene extra punch and humor." Peter Debruge of Variety said, "The Lion King: Return of the King celebrates its hero's heritage while delivering one of Disney's most all-around appealing standalone installments to date." Manohla Dargis of The New York Times called The Lion King: Return of the King "a jolt of a movie", and said, "in its emphasis on black imagination, creation and liberation, the movie becomes an emblem of a past that was denied and a future that feels very present. And in doing so opens up its world, and yours, beautifully." Kenneth Turan of Los Angeles Times said, "With dialogue that deftly explores serious questions, such as how much if anything do wealthy countries owe the poor and oppressed of the world, The Lion King: Return of the King draws energy from Minkoff's sense of excitement at all he's attempting. The result is a superhero movie that's worth seeing twice, and that is a rare sighting indeed." Richard Roeper, writing for the Chicago Sun-Times, called the film "one of the best African movies of the century" and said, "If you appreciate finely honed storytelling with a Shakespearean core; winning performances from an enormously talented ensemble; provocative premises touching on isolationism, revolution and cultures of oppression, and oh yeah, tons of whiz-bang action sequences and good humor – then you should see the king has returned."

Differences

 * All three movies and a couple of songs from The Lion Guard (including Jackal Style and Kion's Lament) are lowered-pitched from 100x to 97x after for a couple of young fans, who don't like the normal pitch.

Transcript
Main article: The Lion King: Return of the King/Transcript

Credits
Main article: The Lion King: Return of the King/Credits