The Lion King Reborn

The Lion King Reborn (known as The Lion King Adventure Pt. 1: Reborn outside of North America) is an upcoming 2018 American animated epic, adventure, musical, comedy-drama film released by Walt Disney Pictures, with under production by Walt Disney Animation Studios and YouTube, as well as being distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It serves as "part one" of a remaster of Disney's well-known 1994 animated film The Lion King, conjoining it with its 1998 sequel The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, its 2004 midquel The Lion King 1½: Hakuna Matata and several episodes of its 2015 television sequel series The Lion Guard, while it is also the first The Lion King film to be rated PG, due to Pumbaa and Bunga's flatulence problems along with a much more deeper, serious tone in the film's analysis. It also features references from the 1995 PC game Timon and Pumbaa's Jungle Games and television series The Lion King's Timon & Pumbaa, as well as having some deleted scenes from the franchise and all of the songs taken from the Broadway version of The Lion King in animation. The Lion King Reborn marks as the last film to be released by DisneyToon Studios after its defunct in June 2018 and to be one of the last films executive produced by John Lasseter before his retirement from his associated projects for Walt Disney Animation Studios.

It was directed by Christian Myers, co-directed by Emman V. Cortez, produced by Don Hahn, co-produced by Bradley Raymond, Rob Minkoff, Roger Allers and Howy Parkins, executive produced by Lasseter, Jeannie Roussel, Ford Riley, Rob LaDuca, Darrell Rooney, Jon Favreau and George A. Mendoza, original songs written by Elton John, Tim Rice, Beau Black and Alex Cartañá, score composed by Alan Silvestri, and story written by Myers, Don Bluth, Jim Capobianco, Lorna Cook, Thom Enriquez, Andy Gaskill, Francis Glebas, Ed Gombert, Kevin Harkey, Barry Johnson, Mark T, Jorgen Klubien, Larry Leker, Rick Maki, Burny Mattinson, Chris Sanders, Tom Sito, Gary Trousdale, Kevin Hopps, John Loy, Jack Monaco, Elise Allen, Kendall Michele Haney, Laura Sreenby, Krista Tucker and the late Joe Ranft, while the film stars an ensemble voice cast including Matthew Broderick, Jeremy Irons, Gabrielle Union, Eden Riegel, Jason Marsden, Nika Futterman, Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, Khary Payton, Andy Dick, Lacey Chabert, Rowan Atkinson, Blair Underwood, Sarah Hyland, Madison Pettis, Joshua Rush, Diamond White, with Angela Bassett, and Max Charles as Kion. The film dedicates to the memories of actress Suzanne Pleshette and actor Robert Guillaume, the original voices of Zira and Rafiki, who both died on January 19th, 2008 and October 24, 2017.

Filming began in June 2017 at Stevens Point, Wisconsin, with a large cast consisting mostly of actors reprising their roles from the original films and television series. The production lasted until February 2018, shooting back-to-back with a sequel titled The Lion King Returns. Additional filming mostly took place in Kenya, Africa. With an estimated budget in the range of $316–400 million, it is one of the most expensive films ever made.

The film received universal praise for the film's screenwriting, humor, the cast (particularly Broderick, Irons, Union, Riegel, Futterman, Lane, Sabella, Payton, White, and Charles' roles), visual effects, emotional dark weight of the story, Pleshette and Guillaume's dedications, musical scores by Silvestri, and action scenes (particularly "the Lion Guard vs. Army of Scar"), although the runtime and some newcomers for the voices of characters taken from The Lion Guard received some criticism. The film is scheduled to be released in IMAX 3D and AMC Theaters, as well as being on multiple websites, including Ideas Wikia, Dailymotion and YouTube. An alternate, extended version of the film titled The Outlands Cut will soon be released after the film's initial release where it includes a subplot involving Tatiana, Nefu, Sharla, Quint, Claudia, and Mr. Pig, while the characters had their scenes cut out.

The Lion King Returns will be released with Myers returning to direct, Hahn returning to produce, Silvestri returning to compose the score, and much of the cast reprising their roles.

Plot
In the great Pride Lands of Africa, a wise mandrill named Rafiki, who is the lion king's shaman, lives in his home known as the "Tree of Life". One day came to be an important day: Simba, who is the newborn son of Queen Sarabi and King Mufasa, is being presented to a crowd of animals, who came from the Four Winds to celebrate Simba's birth at Pride Rock. As Rafiki is going to retell the story, he suddenly realizes the audience has heard of the story before. He then hand-draws a picture of a meerkat and warthog duo named Timon and Pumbaa before reminding the audience that they have never known the half of the story.
 * NOTE: The plot of the film is in chronological order, so all of the events from 1½: Hakuna Matata will be occurring during the events of the first film.

Timon is a social outcast in his meerkat colony on the outskirts of Pride Rock 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, who is also Pa's widow, 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. This marks the last straw for the colony before Ma tries to convince his son to be back in, prompting Timon to leave and finding a better life.

On the way, however, Timon breaks into a hysterical sob, to which he moans in front of the Tree of Life. Inside, Rafiki helps, then teaches Timon about "Hakuna Matata", meaning "No Worries" in Swahili, and advises him to look beyond what he sees. Timon takes the advice unknowingly and observes Pride Rock in the distance, calling it as a "big, pointy rock". Believing Pride Rock to be his paradise home, Timon ventures there, but then bumps into Pumbaa, who tells Timon that he suffers from flatulence problems. The two quickly form a bond and Pumbaa accompanies Timon as his acquaintance. The adventure starts to where Simba is being presented. The pair arrive at Pride Rock, but as they make their way through the crowd of onlookers, Pumbaa explosively passes a massive fart, causing nearby animals to faint but prompting animals further away to bow to Mufasa. Following this, Timon and Pumbaa start to live in a small den behind Pride Rock as Rafiki holds up Simba for the animals to bow.

Mufasa shows young Simba (Jonathan Taylor Thomas and Matt Weinberg) the Pride Lands and explains to him the responsibilities of kingship and the Circle of Life which connects all living things. Meanwhile, Mufasa's younger brother Scar, born as "Taka", covets the throne and plots to eliminate Mufasa and Simba so he may become king. He later tricks Simba and his best friend Nala (Niketa Calame) — to whom Simba is betrothed — into exploring a forbidden elephants' graveyard, where they are attacked by Shenzi, Banzai and Ed, who are now in league with Scar. Timon and Pumbaa, who are searching for their new home, to which their den got smashed by a pyramid of animals during "I Just Can't Wait to be King", soon witness Mufasa saving the cubs and Zazu, who is a hornbill and 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. 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 Timon and Pumbaa exhausted, since they were unknowingly caught in the stampede and fell off a waterfall, Timon decides to give up, until Pumbaa discovers a luxurious green jungle. The pair finally settle there with the philosophy of "Hakuna Matata", named Hakuna Matata Falls.

Back at the Pit of Shame, Rafiki is talking to Ma about Hakuna Matata and that her son must look beyond what he sees to find the motto. However, after an anguished Ma mistakes it for a metaphor and explains that her son takes things literally, she decides to search for Timon, much to Max's shock. After Rafiki reminds Ma, "The journey of the a thousand miles begins with the first step.", she shows her first step, and she lands squarely on Rafiki's foot.

Back at Hakuna Matata Falls, Timon and Pumbaa build a jungle arcade, including Jungle Pinball, Bug Drop, Sling Shooter, Burper, and Hippo Hop, to which are their favorite games. They lastly thought of adding one more game, which actually failed: Bowling For Hedgehogs. Timon ends up having quills in his rear and Pumbaa starts to pull them out. The two then notice a flock of vultures in a nearby desert while they are about to feed on something. The two then charge at the vultures, scattering them away while playing "bowling for buzzards". The pair notice Simba, who collapsed nearly dead from the escape of Pride Rock and they decide to rescue, then raise him under their philosophy. For now, Simba and the duo turned their backs against the world.

Meanwhile, 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 a young adult 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.

Now a young adult, Simba tests Hakuna Matata to Timon and the two challenge each other in a snail-eating-contest, while a group of other competitions were won by Simba. When Simba slurps all of his snails, Timon, now feeling sick from eating his snails, stumbles over and faints, leaving his last snail to sluttier away, to which Simba wins the contest. When he, Timon and Pumbaa head out of hot tub that was fart-powered by Pumbaa's flatulence problem to lay back and stargaze at the sky, Simba seems to be homesick, recalling what his father had told him years ago when they'd looked up at the stars together. He is upset when Timon's comments mock the Great Kings of the Past. Hurt by his friends' comments, Simba leaves to flop down on a rock in grief over his dead father. Meanwhile, Rafiki sits on the crown of his tree and grabs a pile of leaves, dirt, grass, and flower petals that's floating on the breeze. He takes the mixture into an empty turtle shell and investigates it until he realizes that it contains traces of Simba, who is supposed to have been dead for several years. At first, Rafiki is confused by this new knowledge, but he soon runs to his smeared drawing and, realizing that Simba is now a young adult lion, draws him with a thick red mane. Getting ready to help Simba to take his place in the Circle of Life, he takes his staff and starts to sense where the milkweed came from.

When Timon and Pumbaa are searching for a dung beetle in order to play "Bug Rugby" with Simba, he rescues them 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 explains 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 then gets eaten by his former henchmen of 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 lioness, who were loyal to Scar, including a red infant cub. As Simba thanked Timon and Pumbaa for helping him, the duo knew it was time to show his meerkat colony of what it's like with no predators. A couple of days later, Timon, Pumbaa and Simba take Ma, Max, Timon's rival Fred, and the entire colony to live in Hakuna Matata Falls to complete his "Hakuna Matata"; and Timon is praised as their hero.

King Simba and Queen Nala's newborn cub is presented to the assembled animals by Rafiki as Mufasa proudly watches over the ceremony from the heavens above. Later that night, Rafiki paints an emblem of the cub on the trunk of his tree, happily commenting on the security of the pride's future. Mufasa's spirit ruffles Rafiki's mane, stopping by to visit, and through this, Rafiki discovers another cub that's living in rogues known as the "Outlands", while in his tree with help from Mufasa's spirit. First, he accuses Mufasa of breaking the circle, and then he sees the new cub as trouble. In the Outlands, Nuka and Vitani, who are the oldest siblings of Scar, rush back to report the news of Kiara to Zira, who is their mother and the leader of her banished group of lions named the "Outsiders". Nuka later requests that as the oldest, he should be king, but Zira snaps at him, reminding him that her youngest son Kovu (Ryan O'Donohue) is the Chosen One to become the next king and to fulfill Scar's dying wish, in which she speaks to Scar's spirit that soon, they will reclaim his kingdom.

A few weeks later, 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 Kovu, and they escape from a float of snapping crocodiles while befriending each other. When Kovu retaliates to Kiara's playing, Simba confronts the young cub just as he is confronted by Zira. 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 a hyena clan led by Janja and Mzingo the vulture, Simba realizes that Kion has protected the Pride Lands and is indeed ready to lead his new Lion Guard.

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 and explains how she and her clan respect the Circle of Life. 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 a outskirt from Pride Rock known as "Flat Ridge Rock". When Makuu wins a Mashidano duel against Pua and becomes the local 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.

Due to a misunderstanding with Rafiki about the wisdom of honey badger's following Bunga averting a flood, the animals of the Pride Lands begin to think that Bunga is the wisest animal there is, but when his advice begins to cause more harm than good, Kion and the others must find some way to stop Bunga before it's too late. 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 (Lynette DuPree). 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 help from Cheezi and Chungu. Meanwhile, Rafiki tries to work on his paintings of the Lion Guard.

During the celebrated holiday of Kupatana in the Pride Lands, Kion and his friends rescue a jackal pup named Dogo from Janja's clan, but they soon discover that he is in a whole family of jackals and the matriarch, Reirei, and her husband Goigoi, manage to fool the Lion Guard into letting them stay. The Lion 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 venom from Ushari the Egyptian cobra, and goes to the Outlands to play in a volcano, where he is targeted by Janja and his clan.

Bunga, Kion, Ono and Beshte search for Utamu grubs. On the way, Bunga tells the story of how he met Timon and Pumbaa when he was a baby cub. Meanwhile, Fuli goes on a mission alone and overexerts herself, leaving her vulnerable to an attack by Mzingo's flock of vultures. A young elephant named Mtoto looks up to Beshte as his hero and soon sees him in action when both of them are attacked by Janja, Cheezi, and Chungu. Tamaa, who is a drongo bird, uses his talent to imitate the voice of any animal to gain food from others, which annoys the Lion Guard for false alarms, but soon finds himself forced by Janja's clan to help them trap a herd of impalas in the Outlands. 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 a zebra herd led by Thurston.

Under the suggestion of Simba, the Lion Guard leads a herd of zebras led by Muhimu and a herd of gazelles led by Swala to a new grazing ground located at the edge of the Pride Lands in Mbali Fields, which was very difficult. One of their obstacles to get to Mbali Fields is the Outlands as the Lion Guard works to keep both herds safe from Janja's clan, even when Muhimu starts to have a infant foal, who turns out to be a boy. When Simba and Bunga get trapped in a sinkhole, 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 Lion Guard heads to the cavern entrance along with Timon and Pumbaa 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.

Beshte makes friends with a timid okapi named Ajabu (Ron Funches), who has traveled to the Pride Lands to get away from Makucha the leopard, but the other members of the Lion Guard think that Ajabu is imaginary due to his tendency to hide from others. When Makucha shows up in the Pride Lands, however, the Guard soon realizes that Beshte's new friend is real and rushes off to help Ajabu. While the Lion Guard is on night patrol, they mistake a pack of shy scavengers named "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, including their leader Mjomba, alongside members Haya and Ogopa. However, Reirei and Goigoi have their sights on the aardwolves as well. The Lion Guard discovers from Laini and her group of cute galagos that a leopard has moved into their tree. They find out that the leopard named Badili 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 Lion Guard teaches Badili to stand up to Mapigano and reclaim his territory.

After a failed attack on a wildebeest herd, Janja kicks Cheezi and Chungu out of the Outlands and promotes members Nne and Tano to be his new seconds-in-command. While the Lion Guard makes sure that the Pride Lands' trails are safe after the big rainstorm during the Mbali Fields migration, 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.

Rafiki tells a story to the Lion Guard and some young animals, including Mtoto, about a terrifying beast called the "Zimwi". Kion doesn't believe that such a creature exists, but when Mtoto and his friends claim to have seen it, the Guard searches the Pride Lands to find out the truth. Soon, even Kion has to admit that the Zimwi may really exist. But when they find the Zimwi, as told from Thurston and a group of gazelles, the beast is revealed as...the Porcupine Brothers. The next morning, Beshte prepares for a audition to a group of chorus hippos named "The Bellow Fellows" as they emerge from the water and take their place on some rocks nearby in Big Springs. Fuli asks Beshte if these are the hippos that he needs to bellow for, and Beshte confirms it, though also adds that he's still scared. Kion reminds him that he stood up to the Zimwi, despite not knowing that it wasn't real, which gives Beshte the confidence boost he needed. He approaches the three hippos and, after a brief pause, starts to bellow. The Lion Guard are worried, though when Beshte finishes, much to his own surprise, the Bellow Fellows announce that they love it, and that he's free to start bellowing with them whenever he wants to. Beshte then asks them if he can do it now, and they begin to bellow together. Bunga replies with, "Now, that's scary.", whilst members of Basi's pod approach Beshte nearby.

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 Tunu and Wema. When he goes to help them out, he encounters the Outsider lions, Vitani, Nuka, Kovu, and Zira, who 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 (Dan Howell) and Hafifu (Phil Lester) who have a message for Simba on behalf of their father King Sokwe of the Theluji mountains (John Rhys-Davis). 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 an ostrich flock led by Mbuni 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 a legendary eagle named Hadithi comes to the Pride Lands, Ono discovers that his hero is not what he seems when it turned out that he made up some of his adventures. While the Lion Guard search for leaves from the top of the tallest tree in the Pride Lands for Hadithi's Royal Mud Print ceremony, Janja, Cheezi, and Chungu target a group of klipspringers.

When Beshte's father 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. Ono acts as a replacement for a white rhino named Kifaru as his tickbird Mwenzi to guide him to Tamasha, a sparring event at Lake Matope, after Kifaru and Mwenzi have a falling-out. Meanwhile, the other members of the Lion Guard track down the tickbird and convince him to work out his differences with Kifaru. During a confrontation at a lake, Kifaru and Mwenzi must put aside their differences in order to help the Lion Guard fight off Makuu's float.

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, including Twiga's daughter Juhudi. While watching over the young animals, Bunga works to keep them safe from Reirei's pack, including Dogo and his siter Kijana. Meanwhile, Goigoi tries to keep the Lion Guard from going to Hakuna Matata Falls to see how Bunga is getting on.

Simba gathers key leaders of the Pride Lands' different animal communities for the Savannah Summit in order to make arrangements for the upcoming dry season, including their leaders Big Baboon, Mbeya the rhino, Bupu, Twiga, Ma Tembo, Vuruga Vuruga, and Makuu. The Lion Guard get suspicious when Makuu is one of the attendees and suspect that he might ruin the summit. Meanwhile, Makuu headbutts Bupu when he wants to have his float sleep near his herd's watering hole during the dry season. Eventually, Kion realizes that Makuu wants to change from his trouble-making ways in order to become a better leader for his float and the Pride Lands.

When the Traveling Baboon Show led by Uroho arrives in the Pride Lands to perform their show, they end up stealing the other animals' food. After chasing the baboons to the Outlands, the Lion Guard has to come to their rescue when they are cornered by Janja, Cheezi, and Chungu. Ono becomes the protector of the egg that belongs to the hamerkop Kulinda when a harrier hawk named Mpishi leaves her hunting territory and comes to the Pride Lands to look for new food to try. When the egg hatches, Ono and the Lion Guard must keep the hamerkop chick safe from Mpishi, who teams up with Mzingo's second-in-command Mwoga.

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 his friend Shupavu, who is the leader of her group of skinks including her second-in-command Njano, her stealthy spy Nyeusi, and her seekers Nyata and Waza, 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.

After the Lion Guard accidentally awakens Makuu and his float from their sleep during the dry season upon unknowingly sending a stampede near their sleeping cave, the Lion Guard and Simba work to find a new place for Makuu's float to endure the dry season. During this time, a crocodile named Kiburi conspires against Makuu which leads to them getting into a Mashidano as Ushari, under Scar's orders, persuades Kiburi to have his followers Tamka and Nduli attack Simba. After he and his followers are kicked out of Makuu's float upon Kiburi losing the Mashidano, and banished from the Pride Lands upon the attack on Simba being thwarted by the Lion Guard, Kiburi joins Janja's clan and Ushari in working for Scar, who plans to unite all the animals of the Outlands and get them under his leadership as part of his plot to take over the Pride Lands.

While working to free Thurston's zebra herd from the dry river before the mud hardens, Kion has no choice but to use the Roar on a dark cloud to make it rain. The rain from the cloud not only frees Thurston's herd, it also causes a flash flood that sends Beshte into the Outlands. After Njano informs Ushari of Beshte's presence, Scar enlists Janja, Cheezi, and Chungu to assist Shupavu's group of skinks in laying a trap to get rid of Beshte at Rocky Plato. Meanwhile, the rest of the Lion Guard head to the Outlands to search for Beshte.

As Rafiki gets Makini ready to paint for Simba's family, he gets disturbed by the antics of three young animals; elephant Chama, who was formerly a part of Ma Tembo's herd, sable antelope Mzaha, who was formerly a part of Bupu's herd, and monkey Furaha, who was formerly a part of Tumbili's troop. Meanwhile, the Lion Guard works to keep the animals of the Pride Lands safe from the threat of dry lightning. When fire from the dry lightning threatens Rafiki's tree, Chama, Mzaha, and Furaha save Rafiki and Makini and work with the Lion Guard to put out the fire.

The tsetse flies have been causing problems in the Pride Lands. Due to the Tsetse flies' dislike of zebra stripes, the Lion Guard escorts Thurston's herd and Mbeya to a source of water. Meanwhile, Scar instructs Janja's clan to get rid of Jasiri, as she is an ally of the Lion Guard and interfering in the plans to get Reirei's pack on their side. Janja's clan end up trapping Jasiri, 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.

The Ukumbusho, a performance that celebrates the friendship between the elephants and lions of the Pride Lands is being held in Mizimu Grove, and Makini is tasked with painting sunbursts on the elephants. The Lion Guard plays the original Guard which was led by a lion named Askari. As Ma Tembo states that the Guard was made up of lions at the last Ukumbusho, Makini paints Bunga, Fuli, Beshte, and Ono to look like lions while Timon and Pumbaa help them in practicing their performance. Due to Makini using yellow flowers for the elephants' sunburst paint, a swarm of bees start swarming Ma Tembo and the other elephants causing them to go on a rampage, including the herd's strongest members Johari, Zigo, Zito, Jumbo Jumbo, and Ned. The Lion Guard then rushes after the elephants to calm them down and save them from the bees.

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 ferocious rock monitor acquaintance 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.

Under Scar's orders, Janja, Cheezi, and Chungu kidnap Zazu while he is compiling the Pride Lands' Morning Report, and take him to the Outlands to get him to reveal royal secrets about Simba. After Kion reminisces about how Zazu once saved him and Bunga from Makuu and Pua's crocodile float when he was a little cub, the Lion Guard finds out that Zazu has been kidnapped by Janja's clan and head to the Outlands to save him.

When there is a water shortage in the Pride Lands, Simba instructs the Lion Guard to travel to the Back Lands to find the zebra leader Dhahabu and ask her if she is willing to share her herd's watering hole with the Pride Lands' animals. When they find Dhahabu and her herd they discover that she is a rare golden zebra. Along the way, they have to face Makucha, who he and his leap of leopards are preventing the zebras from getting their water source.

A gecko named Hodari wants to be in a crocodile float, but Makuu doesn't want Hodari in his float due to his size. Witnessing this happening, Shupavu and Njano get Hodari to be part of Kiburi's float. Kiburi then comes up with a plan to use Hodari to find out all of Makuu's fighting moves and to get past the Lion Guard.

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.

During the Kumbuka celebration honoring the day that Simba defeated Scar, Makini and the Lion Guard discuss Scar's defeat at the paws of Simba ahead, with Bunga arguing that his uncles Timon and Pumbaa were just as responsible for saving the Pride Lands as Simba. Makini becomes visibly annoyed at Bunga for detracting from Simba's efforts, and the Lion Guard universally agree that if Scar was still around, things wouldn't be very good.

Meanwhile, Scar has gathered his army: Janja, Reirei, Kiburi, Ushari, and Mzingo. As they listen intently to their leader announcing that they will be taking down both Simba and the Lion Guard, they question how, to which Scar introduces them to a friend assisting them — Sumu, a treacherous Tanzanian red-clawed scorpion. The sight of the scorpion startles Janja, who leaps onto Reirei and soon Kiburi in fright. However, Scar has confirmed that Sumu isn't going to sting him, and Ushari has confirmed that Sumu's poisonous venom is reserved for a more Royal target. When Sumu's orders have been confirmed, he departs. Scar declares that the day will be known as the day he returns, and defeats both Simba and the Lion Guard once and for all.

At Pride Rock, many Pride Landers, including the Lion Guard, Timon, Pumbaa, Ma Tembo's herd, Bupu's herd, Thurston's herd, Twiga's herd, Laini's group, and Mbeya's crash, have gathered for the Kumbuka ceremony. As Rafiki starts the celebration by singing "Good King Simba", Sumu sneaks to the top of Pride Rock, and injects his venom on Simba's tail. Although Simba feels the sting, his body reacts almost immediately to the poison; he collapses while Sumu sneaks away unseen and the celebration ends prematurely, with the Pride Landers looking on in horror. When the Guard, Timon and Pumbaa rush to Simba's aid, he weakly directs them to his tail, and Rafiki inspects the bloated sting mark. When he reveals it to be that of a scorpion, Kion sends Ono to search for one. Ono locates Sumu on his way back to the Outlands, and the Lion Guard chase after him. But before they can catch him, Sumu enters a hole which leads to the Outlands. Having made sure that the scorpion has left the Pride Lands, the Guard return to Pride Rock where they find Timon and Pumbaa sobbing uncontrollably, unaware of exactly how bad Simba's condition is. When they enter inside the den of Pride Rock, they find Nala and Kiara comforting the barely conscious King, while the Royal Mjuzi and his apprentice use a variety of mixtures that they hope will cure Simba. Suddenly, Rafiki remembers the cure — volcanic ash. However, he warns them that it must be recovered by sundown. With the closest volcano being the one in the Outlands, the Lion Guard offer to retrieve it. Rafiki decides to send Makini out with the Guard, and she attaches a gourd to her bakora staff. With everyone set, they head out. In the Outlands, Scar congratulates Sumu that the plan was a success, and knows that the Guard would be on their way. He then orders Ushari to get the other Outlanders ready.

Proceeding with the plan, Kiburi's float wait for the Lion Guard. When they arrive, Kiburi refuses to move without a fight. With time of the essence, Kion sends Beshte to deal with the crocodiles. Beshte tackles Tamka, and the force of the tackle slams him into the rest of his float. The Guard hurries through. The Guard get a little further, but bump into Reirei's pack. Kion turns to Bunga, who leaps onto some nearby rocks and bounds over the jackals, farting on them. The stench keeps the pack from stopping them and the Lion Guard runs past them while Fuli comments that she's glad that Bunga is on the Guard's side. Worn out, the Lion Guard reach the volcano. Before they can ascend to get the ash, Janja's clan arrives. The hyenas attack, and the Lion Guard defend themselves, with even Makini helping out (albeit accidentally).

They make their way up the volcano, where Kion observes the slowly setting Sun. When they finally reach the highest point, Ono guides them to the volcanic ash, and Makini swiftly pours a handful into her gourd, sealing it shut and re-attaching it to her staff. When they were just about to leave, Scar reveals himself and that he was behind the attack, leading the Lion Guard to work out that the crocodile, jackal and hyena attacks were planned as well. Scar commands for his army and Ushari, Shupavu and her group of skinks, and Kiburi's float emerge. They approach the Lion Guard and, despite Kion to lead the Guard and Makini, Janja's clan suddenly block their other pathway. When the final path is blocked by Reirei's pack, the Lion Guard realize they are surrounded. As Kenge joins the skinks and cobra, Kion orders Ono to find a way out, but the egret is knocked down by Mzingo and his parliament. Trapped on a ledge near the boiling lava, Kion resorts to the final option: he tells the Guard and Makini to stay together and get behind him; he also warns the Army to get out of their way. Scar warns Kion that using the Roar will simply cause the volcano to erupt, but he responds by telling Scar that he doesn't know as much about the Roar as he does, before using it in a similar manner to how he saved his mother from Makuu's float, aiming the Roar at Kiburi's float, Shupavu's group, Ushari, and Kenge. He continues to use it on Reirei's pack, and finally, Janja's clan, just before leaving. Scar demands Mzingo's parliament to get the gourd, and sends them to retrieve or destroy it.

During their escape, Makini stumbles, giving the vultures time to attack. Ono, Fuli and Bunga race back to help her, with Ono diving in and scattering the vultures before they can peck the gourd away from her staff. Mzingo sends two of his vultures to deal with Ono, while he and Mwoga aim for the gourd. They manage to knock the staff away from Makini, and the staff falls bottom-first into the lava. Ono, Fuli and Bunga tackle the final two vultures, and Makini grabs the gourd. Seeing her having difficulty removing the gourd, Ono swoops in and severes the vines holding it. Kion then uses his Roar once again to send the vultures away, and they hurry back home. Back in the volcano, Scar glares over at the defeated army, stating:

"Well...it seems the war has just begun."

The Lion Guard continues racing across the savanna, with Kion watching the Sun worriedly. Fuli informs Kion that she can reach Pride Rock in time, but that she cannot carry the gourd herself. Bunga then volunteers to ride Fuli and carry the gourd himself, and the two race ahead of the rest of the Lion Guard. Nearby, a distressed Rafiki peers over the Pride Lands, fearing for his friend. He enters Pride Rock to check up on Simba, when Fuli and Bunga arrive. When Fuli trips slightly, Bunga is propelled forward. Pumbaa manages to grab Bunga on his back, and Rafiki is able to catch the gourd before it breaks.

Later, Kion and the rest of the team arrive at Pride Rock, where Simba is weak, but recovering. Rafiki orders everyone to leave Simba to his recovery, but Kion insists that he must talk to his father. He then explains to Rafiki that Scar has returned, and Rafiki worriedly agrees that Kion must speak to Simba once the king has recovered. Kion joins with the Guard and Makini at the edge of Pride Rock and reminds them with this statement:

"Lion Guard...it's our job to protect the Pride Lands. And, that job just got a lot harder. It's gonna be a tough fight...but, we will defeat Scar."

In a mid-credits scene, Simba and Rafiki send Makini and Fuli to Urembo River in the Back Lands to escort Kongwe, who is a wise tortoise.

In a post-credits scene, the Lion Guard meets Kinyonga, a veiled chameleon, who knows a lot about Scar. When she promises Kion to not let any Outlander see her, she starts to slither to the Outlands to hear Scar's upcoming plan while a blind golden mole named Kuchimba, who thinks is a ninja, notices her from a far distance. A lioness cub named Rani, who notices that Scar has begun his war, she sneaks away to form her group of lionesses named the "Night Pride".

Scar will Return...

Cast

 * NOTE: If you want to learn more info on the film's characters and even characters that were uncredited and deleted in earlier concepts, click here.

The film features most of the voice cast reprising their roles from the original films and television series. It also features newcomers like Raven-Symoné, Cameron Boyce, Rob Lowe, and director Myers as Mwimbaji, Cheta, Jumla, and Mwandishi / Africalous while several actors re-dub some characters from The Lion Guard (Ving Rhames as Pua, Jeffrey Tambor as Hadithi, Seth Green as Mapigano, Mindy Kaling as Kulinda, Natalie Coughlin as Mtoto, and Moira Kelly as an Outsider lioness).

Son of Mufasa and Sarabi, who grows up to become King of the Pride Lands. Simba later becomes Nala's mate, and Kiara and Kion's overprotective father. Mufasa's younger brother, Simba's uncle and Kiara and Kion's granduncle, who overtakes the throne. Scar was also once the leader of a Lion Guard, but the power went to his head and he began to believe that he should be king instead of Mufasa. He lost the Roar after he used it to destroy his fellow Lion Guard members when they refused to help him overthrow Mufasa. Later in life, Kion unknowingly summons Scar back as a fiery spirit in the Outlands' volcano after he uses the Roar of the Elders in anger when Janja provokes him. Zira's son and Nuka and Vitani's younger brother, who was "hand-chosen" by Scar to become King of the Pride Lands instead of Simba. Simba's best friend and later his mate as Queen of the Pride Lands. Moira Kelly (who voiced an Outsider lioness) was originally set to reprise his role before Union came in to re-dub the character's lines from the original films recorded by Kelly. The daughter of Simba and Nala, who grows up to become future Queen of the Pride Lands. Neve Campbell was originally going to reprise her role as Kiara from The Lion King II: Simba's Pride before Riegel came in to re-dub her lines. The leader of the Outsiders, Scar's most loyal follower and the mother of Nuka, Vitani, and Kovu. A common warthog, who becomes Timon's "bestest best friend" and one of Simba's adoptive parents. Though slow-witted, Pumbaa is very empathetic and willing to trust and befriend anyone. He is also claustrophobic and passes gas in crowds. When he and Timon found utamu grubs, they met Bunga as a cub and adopted him as their nephew. A meerkat and the son of Ma and his late Pa, who becomes Pumbaa's best friend and one of Simba's adoptive parents. Though somewhat selfish, arrogant, and withdrawn, Timon shows courageous loyalty towards his friends. When he and Pumbaa found utamu grubs, they met Bunga as a cub and adopted him as their nephew. Lane with archive recordings of Kevin Schon share Timon's voice in the film during the character's lines. A mandrill (or "silly blue-bottomed baboon" as Zazu calls him), who teaches Timon Hakuna Matata, as well as giving him faith in himself to do what he dreams of doing. Rafiki also serves as shaman of the Pride Lands and presents newborn cubs of the King and Queen to the animals of the Pride Lands. An aardvark, who is Muhanga's mate. A cheetah, who is the fastest member of the Lion Guard, the only female member, Kion's friend and second-in-command. A spotted hyena living in the Outlands, who is the leader of her friendly clan and allies with Kion. The sassy and short-tempered female leader of her clan of hyenas. Zira's son, Vitani and Kovu's older brother and the oldest male of Zira's family. Zira's daughter and Nuka and Kovu's sister. A hornbill, who serves as the Lion King's majordomo (or "Mufasa's little stooge", as Shenzi calls him). A Nile crocodile, who is the leader of his float after he defeated Pua in a "mashindano". He and his float antagonized the Lion Guard and caused trouble before he works to become a better leader for his float and the Pride Lands. An aggressive and hot-headed Mexican-accent hyena prone to complaining and acting on impulse. A lioness cub friend of Kiara and a member of Simba's Pride, who is somewhat more sensible than her constant companion Zuri. A dim-witted hyena, who does not talk, only communicating through laughter. A lonely pale fox and the former leader of her group, who were fated unknown after the battle of Pride Rock during Scar's reign. A young mandrill, who becomes Rafiki's apprentice. A honey badger, who is the bravest member of the Lion Guard. He is Timon and Pumbaa's adoptive nephew and Kion's best friend. A cattle egret, who is the keenest of sight of the Lion Guard and Kion's friend. A hippopotamus, who is the strongest member of the Lion Guard and Kion's friend. Timon's caring mother and Pa's widow. She is overly protective and attached to her son, often trying to get him accepted among the colony, but never succeeding. Timon's paranoid, eccentric but deep down kind-hearted uncle. He initially doubts Timon's ability, but warms up to him at the film's climax. Mufasa's mate, Simba's mother, and the leader of the lioness hunting party. She is also the grandmother of Kiara and Kion. A lion cub, 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. An impoverished Back Lander West African lion, who is the enchant wizard of the film's climax. As Africalous, Mwandishi is disgusted as a wise hermit lion. Timon's late father and Ma's late husband, who renowned for his bravery in facing the hyenas. Brown was originally chosen to voice Ahadi before that character was removed from the film's script. A lioness cub friend of Kiara and a member of Simba's Pride, who is somewhat vain and hates getting dirty. A spotted hyena, who is Jasiri's sister and is part of her clan. Nala's mother, who is shown briefly talking to Sarabi. Simba's father, King of the Pride Lands as the film begins. Since his death after being killed into a wildebeest stampede orchestrated by Scar, Mufasa lives on as a spirit that gives his grandson Kion advice on how to get through any tough plight. An Egyptian cobra, who often conflicted with Bunga and would get disturbed whenever the Lion Guard was near him. Upon Scar's spirit being unleashed, Ushari becomes a second-in-command to him in Scar's plot to unite all the animals of the Outlands in a plot to get revenge on the Pride Lands. A cunning and ruthless spotted hyena, who is the leader of the clan. A hippopotamus, who is Beshte's father and leader of his pod. An African bush elephant with a broken right tusk, who is the leader of the herd and the daughter of the late Amanifu, an old friend of Simba's, who was also the former leader of the elephant herd. A clever and manipulative black-backed jackal, who is the leader of the pack. An arrogant Nile crocodile, who was part of Makuu's float. He and his followers defied Makuu's orders which led to them working with Ushari. A calculative white-backed vulture, who is the leader of his parliament. He sometimes serves as Janja's spy and scout. An excitable spotted hyena and one of Janja's right-hand henchmen. An unintelligent spotted hyena with a slightly heavier build than the other hyenas, who is the other of Janja's right-hand henchmen. A handsome yet dimwitted plains zebra, who is the leader of the herd. A yellow baboon, who is the leader of the Traveling Baboon show. A stubborn sable antelope, who is the leader of the herd and values polite behavior. A fork-tailed drongo, who can imitate the voice of any animal. The former leader of the local Nile crocodile float. A stubborn blue wildebeest, who is the leader of his herd. A teenage cheetah, who is a friend of Fuli. An old black rhinoceros who is the leader of his crash. A young African bush elephant calf, who is part of Ma Tembo's herd. He also looks up to Beshte as his personal hero. A Masai giraffe, who is the leader of the herd. A sly and stout but smart spotted hyena. A devious and sloping but smart spotted hyena. An olive baboon, who is the leader of his troop. Two yellow baboons, who are part of the Traveling Baboon Show. An African buffalo, who is the leader of her herd. Kiara once presided over their Royal Buffalo Wallow. An African bush elephant, who is part of Ma Tembo's herd. A olive baboon, who is part of Big Baboon's troop. A plains zebra, who is the leader of the herd. Emma Burton voiced the character in the UK release of the film. A sneaky fire skink, who is the leader of her group. She dislikes being close to Pride Rock. A galago, who is the leader of her group in Ndefu Grove. An African toad. A cream-colored African leopard from the Back Lands, who tracked Ajabu to the Pride Lands since okapis are rare creatures. Makucha is later revealed to be the leader of his leap which is first shown when the Lion Guard was looking for water in the Back Lands during a water shortage in the Pride Lands. An impatient and grouchy African bush elephant, who is part of Ma Tembo's herd. A foolish and clumsy white-backed vulture, who is a member of the parliament. A legendary African hawk-eagle, who faked having invented the Hadithi Spin. A hamerkop, who leaves her egg in Ono's nest, while she builds a new nest that is safe from predators. She later names her baby Ona, in honor of Ono. An African harrier-hawk, who leaves her hunting grounds from an unknown land and travels to the Pride Lands looking for a rare meal. A plains zebra with golden stripes, who is the leader of the herd. Bunga admires her greatly. Dhahabu is modeled after the late Zoe the Golden Zebra, who resided in Hawaii's Three Ring Ranch. An electric blue gecko, who dreamed of being in a crocodile float. Makuu made him an honorary member of his float due to his bravery when confronting Kiburi. An okapi, who traveled to the Pride Lands to get away from Makucha. A friendly cream-colored African leopard from Mirihi Forest in the Back Lands, who was driven out of his territory by his bully Mapigano. A mountain gorilla prince, brother of Majinuni, and son of King Sokwe, who came to the Pride Lands to deliver a message to Simba. A mountain gorilla prince, brother of Hafifu, and son of King Sokwe, who came to the Pride Lands to deliver a message to Simba. A nervous and shy aardwolf. A grumpy and impatient aardwolf, who is the leader of the pack. A bright and bubbly aardwolf. An African bush elephant, who is part of Ma Tembo's herd. A greedy and dimwitted black-backed jackal, who is Reirei's mate. A Masai giraffe, who is part of Twiga's herd. An aardvark, who is Muhangus' wife. A cheerful ostrich, who is the leader of her flock. A Thomson's gazelle, who is the leader of her herd. An enormous and ferocious rock monitor, and acquaintance of Ushari, who dislikes being called "little" or else it will drive him berserk. His venomous bite induces temporary paralysis. A teenage fun-loving African bush elephant, who used to be part of Ma Tembo's herd. He, Mzaha, and Furaha are best friends and share a tree together near Big Springs. A teenage fun-loving sable antelope, who used to be part of Bupu's herd. A teenage fun-loving Zanzibar red colobus, who used to be part of Tumbili's troop. A poor-sighted white rhinoceros. A red-billed oxpecker, who is Kifaru's tickbird and best friend. A cream-colored African leopard, who bullied Badili upon invading his territory in Mirihi Forest in the Back Lands. A Nile crocodile, who is one of Kiburi's followers. An overconfident and unintelligent Nile crocodile, who is one of Kiburi's followers. A yellow wagtail. A black-backed jackal pup, who is one of Reirei and Goigoi's sons. He has blue eyes compared to the other pups who have brown eyes. A young banded mongoose pup. A black-backed jackal pup, who is Reirei and Goigoi's daughter and Dogo's sister. A young olive baboon, who is a part of Big Baboon's troop. A young ostrich chick. A Zanzibar red colobus, who is the leader of his troop. He grew tired of Furaha's antics and sent him away. A sable antelope, who is part of Bupu's herd. A young Masai giraffe calf, who is Twiga's daughter. A mountain gorilla and friend of Simba, who is Majinuni and Hafifu's father. A plains zebra, who is Starehe's brother and part of Dhahabu's herd. A plains zebra, who is Raha's sister and part of Dhahabu's herd. A very stubborn African bush elephant, who is part of Ma Tembo's herd. Fraley reprises his role from the television series The Lion King's Timon & Pumbaa. A high and mighty African bush elephant and part of Ma Tembo's herd, who thinks he's wonderful at everything. He seems to enjoy teasing Timon and Pumbaa when they fail at proving their worth to him during the Ukumbusho performance. Welker reprises his role from The Lion King's Timon & Pumbaa. A very paranoid meerkat formerly on Sentry duty before Timon took his place. A spotted hyena cub and brother of Wema, who is part of Jasiri's clan. A spotted hyena cub and sister of Tunu, who is part of Jasiri's clan. A meerkat, who is Timon's other best friend back at the meerkat colony. Fred can sometimes be a practical joker. Bullock reprises his role from The Lion King's Timon & Pumbaa. An unseen meerkat in Timon's colony. A young plains zebra foal, who is part of Thurston's herd. A young plains zebra foal, who is Muhimu's son.
 * Matthew Broderick as Simba
 * Jonathan Taylor Thomas as young Simba (archive recordings)
 * Matt Weinberg also as young Simba (archive recordings)
 * Jeremy Irons as Scar / Taka
 * Seth Carr as Young Taka (illusion)
 * Jason Marsden as Kovu
 * Ryan O'Donohue as infant Kovu (archive recordings)
 * Gabrielle Union as Nala
 * Niketa Calame as young Nala (archive recordings)
 * Eden Riegel as Kiara
 * Michelle Horn as infant Kiara (archive recordings)
 * Nika Futterman as Zira
 * Ernie Sabella as Pumbaa
 * Nathan Lane as Timon
 * Khary Payton as:
 * Rafiki
 * Muhangus
 * Diamond White as Fuli
 * Ariana Greenblatt as infant Fuli (illusion)
 * Maia Mitchell as Jasiri
 * Whoopi Goldberg as Shenzi
 * Andy Dick as Nuka
 * Lacey Chabert as Vitani
 * Rowan Atkinson as Zazu
 * Blair Underwood as Makuu
 * Cheech Marin as Banzai
 * Sarah Hyland as Tiifu
 * Jim Cummings as:
 * Ed
 * A marmot that talks with Zazu.
 * Scar's singing voice in certain lines of "Be Prepared" and "I Have A Plan" after Irons blew his voice.
 * Raven-Symoné as Mwimbaji
 * Landry Bender as Makini
 * Joshua Rush as Bunga
 * Pierce Gagnon as infant Bunga (illusion)
 * Atticus Shaffer as Ono
 * Dusan Brown as Beshte
 * Julie Kavner as Ma
 * Jerry Stiller as Uncle Max
 * Angela Bassett as Sarabi
 * Max Charles as Kion
 * Christian Myers as Mwandishi / Africalous
 * Sterling K. Brown as Pa / Fearless Buzz
 * Madison Pettis as Zuri
 * Maisie Klompus as Madoa
 * Sarah Paulson as Sarafina
 * James Earl Jones as Mufasa
 * Christian Slater as Ushari
 * Andrew Kishino as Janja
 * Kevin Michael Richardson as Basi
 * Lynette DuPree as Ma Tembo
 * Ana Gasteyer as Reieri
 * Common as Kiburi
 * Greg Ellis as Mzingo
 * Vargus Mason as Cheezi
 * Kevin Schon as:
 * Chungu
 * Thurston
 * Sinbad as Uroho
 * Michael Dorn as Bupu
 * C. J. Byrnes as Tamaa
 * Ving Rhames as Pua
 * Rob Lowe as Jumla
 * Cameron Boyce as Cheta
 * Howy Parkins as Mbeya
 * Natalie Coughlin as Mtoto
 * Alex Cartañá as Twiga
 * Beau Black as Nne
 * Dee Bradley Baker as:
 * Tano
 * Big Baboon
 * Mwevi and Mwizi
 * Virginia Watson as:
 * Vuruga Vuruga
 * Mtoto's mother
 * The baby baboon's mother
 * Kari Wahlgren as:
 * Muhimu
 * A young rhino
 * Boboka's son
 * Meghan Strange as:
 * Shupavu
 * Laini
 * Chura
 * Steven Blum as Makucha
 * Nick Watt as Zito
 * Cam Clarke as Mwoga
 * Jeffrey Tambor as Hadithi
 * Mindy Kaling as Kulinda
 * Carla Hall as Mpishi
 * Renée Elise Goldsberry as Dhahabu
 * Justin Hires as Hodari
 * Ron Funches as Ajabu
 * Jack McBrayer as Badili
 * Dan Howell as Majinuni
 * Phil Lester as Hafifu
 * Ogie Banks as Haya
 * Charlie Adler as Mjomba
 * Marieve Herington as:
 * Ogopa
 * Zigo
 * Phil LaMarr as:
 * Goigoi
 * Shingo
 * Russi Taylor as:
 * Muhanga
 * Mbuni
 * Tunisia Hardison as Swala
 * Kristofer Hivju as Kenge
 * Jacob Bertrand as Chama
 * Cade Sutton as Mzaha
 * Mekai Curtis as Furaha
 * Maurice LaMarche as Kifaru
 * Rhys Darby as Mwenzi
 * Seth Green as Mapigano
 * Jorge Diaz as Nduli
 * Nolan North as:
 * Tamka
 * Nyuni
 * Jacob Guenther as:
 * Dogo
 * Shauku
 * Amber Hood as Kijana
 * Jacquez Swanigan as Gumba
 * Mckenna Grace as Kambuni
 * Ace Gibson as Tumbili
 * Erica Luttrell as Boboka
 * Ivy Bishop as Juhudi
 * John Rhys-Davies as King Sokwe
 * Rico Rodriguez as Raha
 * Raini Rodriguez as Starehe
 * Patrick Fraley as Jumbo Jumbo
 * Frank Welker as Ned
 * Jessica DiCicco as a worried common genet, who is the leader of her group.
 * Moira Kelly as an Outsider lioness. Kelly previously voiced Nala in the original The Lion King films.
 * Jeff Bennett as Iron Joe
 * Crimson Hart as Tunu
 * Fiona Hart as Wema
 * S. Scott Bullock as Fred
 * Jason Rudofsky as Flinchy
 * Brian Tochi as a fighting hyena
 * Lyons Luke Mathias as:
 * A young hippo
 * Kwato
 * Hamu
 * Sam Lavagnino as a young hippo
 * Carter Hastings as a young hippo

Additional voices
An African spurred tortoise, who is the oldest and wisest animal in the Pride Lands. Kongwe only makes a brief appearance in the film's mid-credits scene while Pounder was uncredited for her performance. A veiled chameleon. Kinyonga only makes a brief appearance in the film's post-credits scene while Poehler was uncredited for her performance. A blind golden mole, who thinks is a ninja. Kuchimba only makes a brief appearance in the film's post-credits scene while McLean was uncredited for his performance. A stealthy black western skink, who is part of Shupavu's group. Although Brown voiced the character, he was uncredited for his performance. A blue tongue rainbow skink, who is Shupavu's second-in-command. Although Riley voiced the character, he was credited as a "additional voice". A Tanzanian red-clawed scorpion with highly poisonous venom, who was sent by Scar to sting Simba. Although Riley voiced the character, he was credited as a "additional voice". Other characters with non-speaking cameos include Nyata, Waza, Ahadi, Johari, Rani, and others.
 * C. C. H. Pounder as Kongwe
 * Amy Poehler as Kinyonga
 * AJ McLean as Kuchimba
 * Gabriel C. Brown as Nyeusi
 * Ford Riley as:
 * Njano
 * Sumu
 * Khary Payton as a teenage jackal, a grumpy crested porcupine, and the leader of the Bellow Fellows. Although Payton voiced the characters, he was credited as a "additional voice".
 * Ace Gibson as a Bellow Fellow hippo and a gazelle on Swala's herd. Although Gibson voiced the characters, he was credited as a "additional voice".
 * Alex Cartañá as a teenage jackal. Although Cartañá voiced the character, she was credited as a "additional voice".
 * Erica Luttrell as the zebras on Muhimu's herd and a female wagtail. Although Luttrell voiced the characters, she was credited as a "additional voice".
 * Dee Bradley Baker as the baby baboon, the laughing hyenas and some of the galagos on Laini's group. Although Baker voiced the characters, he was credited as a "additional voice".
 * Nick Watt as a bushbuck. Although Watt voiced the character, he was credited as a "additional voice".
 * Kari Wahlgren as a hare and some of the galagos on Laini's group. Although Wahlgren voiced the characters, she was credited as a "additional voice".
 * Tunisia Hardison as the young rhino's mother. Although Hardison voiced the character, she was credited as a "additional voice".
 * Gerald C. Rivers as the other crocodiles on Makuu and Kiburi's floats. Although Rivers voiced the characters, he was credited as a "additional voice".
 * Frank Welker as the "Zimwi", Tamka's armada, the aardwolves, the elands and the bull elephants. Although Welker voiced the characters, he was credited as a "additional voice".
 * Jessica DiCicco as a jeroba. Although DiCicco voiced the character, she was credited as a "additional voice".
 * Dana Davis as the Porcupine Brothers, a young hare and a female skink. Although Davis voiced the characters, she was credited as a "additional voice".
 * Jacob Guenther as Dogo's siblings, who have brown eyes compared to Dogo's since his are blue. Although Guenther voiced the characters, he was credited as a "additional voice".
 * Sam Lavagnino as a little monkey. Although Lavagnino voiced the character, he was credited as a "additional voice".
 * ViviAnn Yee as a serval kitten. Although Yee voiced the character, she was credited as a "additional voice".
 * Jennifer Hale as the serval kitten and little monkey's mothers. Although Hale voiced the characters, she was credited as a "additional voice".
 * Kevin Schon
 * Phil Proctor
 * Cam Clarke
 * David Randolph
 * Cathy Cavadini
 * Judi M. Durand
 * Daamen J. Krall
 * Mary Linda Phillips
 * David McCharen
 * Tress MacNeille
 * Alex Manugian
 * Clay Savage
 * Del Roy
 * Roger Allers
 * Jon Favreau
 * Torbin Xan Bullock
 * Rob Minkoff
 * Christian Myers
 * Howy Parkins
 * Elise Allen
 * Joe Grubbs
 * Matthew Vang King
 * Tom Kenny
 * Dashell Zamm

Robert Guillaume was originally set to reprise his role as Rafiki from the previous The Lion King films as well as the television series The Lion King's Timon & Pumbaa. However, he passed away on October 24th, 2017, and his representative confirmed that he had not recorded any lines for the film since his retirement in 2014. Khary Payton (who voices Rafiki in The Lion Guard) later came in to re-dub the character's lines from the original films. The film is dedicated to Guillaume's memory alongside Suzanne Pleshette's, who was the original voice of Zira; Nika Futterman re-dubbed the character's lines from the 1998 film The Lion King II: Simba's Pride.

Mark Hamill, Carl Lumbly, Albert Brooks, and Justin Felbinger were originally announced as the voice of Chungu, Fearless Buzz, Goigoi, and Mtoto, but later stepped down from the role after audiences in test screenings reacted negatively towards how they voiced the characters and were replaced by Schon, Brown, LaMarr and Coughlin. Edward Hibbert was also originally announced to voice Zazu with Atkinson before Atkinson re-dubbed Hibbert's lines for the character from The Lion King II: Simba's Pride.

Tress MacNeille, Corey Burton, Tara Strong, Tahj Mowry, Keith David, Billy West, Valery Pappas, Frank Welker, and Jim Cummings were all meant to reprise their roles as Tatiana, Quint, Claudia, Nefu, Mr. Pig, Sharla, Jean Farrel, King Leopard, Uncle Ernie, and Uncle Boaris from The Lion King's Timon & Pumbaa, although their scenes didn't make it in time for the theatrical cut of the film.

Animal species confirmed in the film

 * Mandrill (Mandrillus sphinx)
 * Plains Zebra (Equus quagga)
 * Thomson's Gazelle (Eudorcas thomsonii)
 * Masai Giraffe (Giraffa tippelskirchi)
 * African Bush Elephant (Loxodonta africana)
 * African Lion (Panthera leo leo)
 * West African Lion (Panthera leo senegalensis)
 * Common Warthog (Phacochoerus africanus)
 * Meerkat (Suricata suricatta)
 * Spotted Hyena (Crocuta crocuta)
 * Hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus)
 * Topi (Damaliscus lunatus)
 * Grant's Gazelle (Nanger granti)
 * Vervet Monkey (Chlorocebus pygerythrus)
 * African Wild Dog (Lycaon pictus)
 * Common Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes)
 * Giant Anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla)
 * Elk (Cervus canadensis)
 * East African Oryx (Oryx beisa)
 * Pale Fox (Vulpes pallida)
 * Greater Kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros)
 * Giant Eland (Taurotragus derbianus)
 * Bat-eared Fox (Otocyon megalotis)
 * Common Duiker (Sylvicapra grimmia)
 * Crested Porcupine (Hystrix cristata)
 * Serval (Leptailurus serval)
 * Bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus)
 * Impala (Aepyceros melampus)
 * Roan Antelope (Hippotragus equinus)
 * Gemsbok (Oryx gazella)
 * Klipspringer (Oreotragus oreotragus)
 * Waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus)
 * Nyala (Tragelaphus angasii)
 * Rock Hyrax (Procavia capensis)
 * Southern Tree Hyrax (Dendrohyrax arboreus)
 * Common Genet (Genetta genetta)
 * Four-toed Hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris)
 * Long-eared Jerboa (Euchoreutes naso)
 * African Savanna Hare (Lepus microtis)
 * Ground Pangolin (Smutsia temminckii)
 * Striped Grass Mouse (Lemniscomys striatus)
 * Botswanan Long-Eared Bat (Laephotis botswanae)
 * Tanzanian Red-billed Hornbill (Tockus ruahae)
 * Big-headed African Mole-rat (Tachyoryctes macrocephalus)
 * Nile Crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus)
 * Honey Badger (Mellivora capensis)
 * Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)
 * Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibious)
 * Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus)
 * Olive Baboon (Papio anubis)
 * Common Eland (Taurotragus oryx)
 * Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus)
 * Yellow-billed Oxpecker (Buphagus africanus)
 * Banded Mongoose (Mungos mungo)
 * Wood Mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus)
 * African Buffalo (Syncerus caffer)
 * Ruppell's Griffon Vulture (Gyps rueppellii)
 * Grey Parrot (Psittacus erithacus)
 * Marabou Stork (Leptoptilos crumeniferus)
 * Phantasmal Poison Frog (Epipedobates tricolor)
 * Indian Peafowl (Pavo cristatus)
 * Congo Peafowl (Afropavo congensis)
 * Chacma Baboon (Papio ursinus)
 * Aardwolf (Proteles cristata)
 * Aardvark (Orycteropus afer)
 * Blue Wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus)
 * Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis)
 * Zanzibar Red Colobus (Procolobus kirkii)
 * Sable Antelope (Hippotragus niger)
 * Senegal Bushbaby (Galago senegalensis)
 * Eastern Gorilla (Gorilla beringei)
 * White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum)
 * Leopard (Panthera pardus)
 * Okapi (Okapia johnstoni)
 * Yellow Baboon (Papio cynocephalus)
 * Vulturine Guineafowl (Acryllium vulturinum)
 * Spotted Thick-knee (Burhinus capensis)
 * Great Blue Turaco (Corythaeola cristata)
 * African Black Duck (Anas sparsa)
 * African Blue Flycatcher (Elminia longicauda)
 * Shoebill (Balaeniceps rex)
 * White-backed Vulture (Gyps africanus)
 * Greater Racket-tailed Drongo (Dicrurus paradiseus)
 * African Hawk-eagle (Aquila spilogaster)
 * Red-billed Oxpecker (Buphagus erythrorhynchus)
 * Hamerkop (Scopus umbretta)
 * Ostrich (Struthio camelus)
 * Western Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava)
 * African Harrier Hawk (Polyboroides typus)
 * Superb Starling (Lamprotonis superbus)
 * Jackson's Chameleon (Trioceros jacksonii)
 * African Rock Python (Python sebae)
 * African Helmeted Turtle (Pelomedusa subrufa)
 * African Bullfrog (Pyxicephalus adspersus)
 * African Foam-nest Tree Frog (Chiromantis rufescens)
 * Meller's Chameleon (Trioceros melleri)
 * Flap-necked Chameleon (Chamaeleo dilepis)
 * Common Agama (Agama agama)
 * Egyptian Cobra (Naja haje)
 * African Common Toad (Amietophrynus regularis)
 * Fire Skink (Lepidothyris fernandi)
 * Rainbow Mabuya (Trachylepis margaritifera)
 * Western Rock Skink (Trachylepis sulcata)
 * Rock Monitor (Varanus albigularis)
 * Turquoise Dwarf Gecko (Lygodactylus williamsi)
 * Tanzanian Red-Clawed Scorpion (Pandinus cavimanus)
 * African Spurred Tortoise (Centrochelys sulcata)
 * Panther Chameleon (Furcifer pardalis)
 * Stuhlmann's Golden Mole (Chrysochloris stuhlmanni)

Production

 * See also: Production of The Lion King Reborn and The Lion King Returns

"Since November 2016, I have become a huge fan of The Lion King and started to come up with a extended version of the original movie. I would use its sequel Simba's Pride and it's midquel Hakuna Matata for a point-of-view with Timon Berkowitz and Pumbaa Smith, not just having to storytell Simba. After a few months on figuring out, this film will soon be released onto Ideas Wikia published from YouTube for fans loving my favorite choice of well-known actors, including Tony Award winner Matthew Broderick, Black Reel Award winner Gabrielle Union, Golden Globe Award winner Angela Bassett, Laurence Olivier Award winner Nathan Lane, Daytime Emmy Award winner Ernie Sabella, and Drama League Award winner Jeremy Irons, as well as co-starring Eden Riegel, Max Charles, Joshua Rush, Diamond White, Nika Futterman, Jason Marsden, Andy Dick, Lacey Chabert, Rowan Atkinson and Khary Payton. Even though for a director, I'm also the narrator when you see this interesting. For fans liking the films and the Lion Guard, they will adore this upcoming ultimate film of the year: The Lion King Reborn."

- Christian Myers

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 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 title: The Lion King: Return of the King. A teaser trailer will be released soon. On June 14th, the title was once changed again to its official title The Lion King Reborn. On July 5th, Myers has stated that the film would be "darker" and more "serious" in tone than from previous The Lion King adaptations.

The film includes the film The Lion King, its sequel The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, its midquel The Lion King 1½: Hakuna Matata, as well as episodes of The Lion Guard from Season 1 and 2, including "Return of the Roar", "Never Judge A Hyena By Its Spots", "The Rise of Makuu", "Bunga the Wise", "Can't Wait to be Queen", "Eye of the Beholder", "The Kupatana Celebration", "Fuli's New Family", "The Search for Utamu", "Follow That Hippo!", "The Call of the Drongo", "Paintings and Predictions", "The Mbali Fields Migration", "Bunga and the King", "The Imaginary Okapi", "Too Many Termites", "The Trouble with Galagos", "Janja's New Crew", "Baboons!", "Beware the Zimwi", "Lions of the Outlands", "Never Roar Again", "The Lost Gorillas", "The Trail to Udugu", "Ono's Idol", "Beshte and the Hippo Lanes", "Ono the Tickbird", "Babysitter Bunga", "The Savannah Summit", "The Traveling Baboon Show", "Ono and the Egg", "The Rise of Scar", "Let Sleeping Crocs Lie", "Swept Away", "Rafiki's New Neighbors", "Rescue in the Outlands", "The Ukumbusho Tradition", "The Bite of Kenge", "The Morning Report", "The Golden Zebra", "The Little Guy", "Divide and Conquer", "The Scorpion's Sting", "The Widsom of Kongwe", "Undercover Kinyonga", and "The Underground Adventure". Director Myers confirmed that he will not include the episode "Timon and Pumbaa's Christmas".

The film is most likely based on Tailikuu1's recreation of The Lion King on Kingdom Hearts Forums Fanfiction as a novelization.

This will also be the first The Lion King film to be shot in the 2.35:1 aspect ratio, unlike the previous films and The Lion Guard that were produced in 16:9 (although their 2:35.1 aspect ratio variants can be found).

Casting
In late February 2018, it was confirmed that Matthew Broderick, Cam Clarke, Nathan Lane, Kevin Schon, Quinton Flynn, Ernie Sabella, Nancy Cartwright, Jeremy Irons, James Earl Jones, Moira Kelly, Rowan Atkinson, Edward Hibbert, Tress MacNeille, Jeff Bennett, S. Scott Bullock, Julie Kavner, Jerry Stiller, Whoopi Goldberg, Cheech Marin, Jim Cummings, Kevin Michael Richardson, Billy West, Tara Strong, Frank Welker, Corey Burton, Neve Campbell, Jason Marsden, Andy Dick, and Lacey Chabert would reprise their roles as Simba, Timon, Monti, Pumbaa, Baampu, Pumbaa Jr., Scar, Mufasa, Nala, Zazu, Tatiana, the Duke Meerkat, Toucan Dan, Fred, Ma, Uncle Max, Shenzi, Banzai, Ed, Tumbaa, Pimon, Princess Claudia, King Leopold, Quint, Speedy the Snail, Kiara, Kovu, Nuka, and young Vitani from the films and the TV series Timon & Pumbaa, with archive recordings of Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Matt Weinberg, Niketa Calame, Michelle Horn, Ryan O'Donohue, Robert Guillaume, Madge Sinclair, Zoe Leader, Jason Rudofsky, Suzanne Pleshette, and Jennifer Lien as young Simba, young Nala, young Kiara, young Kovu, Rafiki, Sarabi, Sarafina, Flinchy, Zira, and adult Vitani, respectively.

A month later in March, it was confirmed that Sarah Silverman would reprise her role as Vanellope von Schweetz from Wreck-it-Ralph, where the character would be dressed as Pumbaa for a Broadway show. It was also announced that Sarah Hyland, Madison Pettis, Andrew Kishino, and Vargus Mason would reprise their roles as Tiifu, Zuri, Janja, and Cheezi from The Lion Guard. Carl Lumbly was also cast as Ahadi, Scar and Mufasa's father. However, the next month in April, Vanellope was taken out, having not any dialogue written out yet; also, Pumbaa Jr., Claudia, King Leopard, and Quint's scenes would be taken out, and since Lien has been arrested in 2015, Chabert re-dubbed her lines as adult Vitani, and Hibbert's lines as Zazu were re-dubbed by Atkinson.

On May 2018, it was announced that Clarke, Schon, Max Charles, Joshua Rush, Dusan Brown, Atticus Shaffer, Diamond White, Landry Bender, Maia Mitchell, Masise Klompus, Blair Underwood, Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Greg Ellis, Kristofer Hivju, Christian Slater, Ford Riley, Ana Gasteyer, Phil LaMarr, Jacob Guenther, Justin Felbinger, Meghan Strange, Nolan North, Jorge Diaz, Lynette DuPree, Phil Lester, Dan Howell, John Rhys-Davis, and C. C. H. Pounder would reprise their roles as Mwoga, Chungu, Kion, Bunga, Beshte, Ono, Fuli, Makini, Jasiri, Madoa, Makuu, Rani, Mzingo, Kenge, Ushari, Sumu, Reirei, Goigoi, Dogo, Mtoto, Shupavu, Tamka, Nduli, Ma Tembo, Hafifu, Majinuni, King Sokwe, and Kongwe from The Lion Guard with Sterling K. Brown re-dubbing Ahadi's lines after Lumbly had some time with some of his upcoming projects. KKDisney also announced that Gilbert Gottfried, the voice of Iago in the Aladdin franchise, would voice Kion as a adult. However, Myers announced that Kion would only appear as a cub. A month later, the rest of the cast was confirmed, including Schon, Common, Amber Hood, Sinbad, Steven Blum, Jack McBrayer, Charlie Adler, Marieve Herington, Ogie Banks, Beau Black, Fiona Hart, and Crimson Hart as Thurston, Kiburi, Kijana, Uroho, Makucha, Badili, Nne, Wema, and Tunu. A couple of days later, Myers announced there would be a few exceptions: Mindy Kaling as Kulinda, Jeffrey Tambor as Hadithi, Ving Rhames as Pua, Seth Green as Mapigano, Natalie Coughlin as Mtoto, and Kelly (who previously voiced Nala) as an Outsider lioness, replacing Elisa Allen, John O'Hurley, Gerald C. Rivers (who voiced the other crocodiles), Jorge Diaz (who voiced Nduli), Justin Felbinger (who voiced in the film's sequel), and Erica Luttrell (who voiced Boboka), while it was also announced that Pierce Gagnon would voice infant Bunga. On June 25th, it was confirmed that Tahj Dayton Mowry, Chris O'Dowd, Steve Mackall, Corey Burton, Jeff Bennett, Ron Perlman, Keith David and Collin Dean would voice Nefu, Boudreaux, Bartholomew, Speedy the Snail, Toucan Dan, the Duke Meerkat, Uncle Boaris, Uncle Ernie and Kopa. The character Kopa in this version happens to appear as a friend of Kiara, Tiifu and Zuri, rather than being as Simba's son in The Lion King Comic Book series. The next day, however, it was announced that Kopa, Tatiana, Speedy the Snail, Tumbaa, Pimon, the Duke Meerkat, Nefu, Toucan Dan, the Duke Meerkat, Uncle Boaris, Uncle Ernie, Boudreaux, and Bartholomew would have their lines and scenes taken out, with Ernie and Boaris being mentioned by Pumbaa.

On July, Seth Carr was taken out from voicing a younger version of Scar while Sterling K. Brown was confirmed as the voice of Timon's father Fearless Buzz. A few weeks later, it was confirmed that Welker and Patrick Fraley would reprise their roles as Ned and Jumbo Jumbo from The Lion King's Timon & Pumbaa.

On August, it was announced that Pounder alongside Amy Poehler and AJ McLean would appear in brief cameos as Kongwe, Kinyonga and Kuchimba while their scripts are reused in the film's sequel. Carr was interestingly cast back to voice young Scar in illusions while Stuck in the Middle star Ariana Greenblatt was later confirmed to voice Fuli as an infant. On August 21st, Cameron Boyce was cast as Cheta, to which the character is the male unnamed cheetah in The Lion Guard comic series.

Special thanks
Several editors and admins on Ideas Wikia including KKDisney, Coolot1, and DonaldoC1997, as well as several companies including Pixar Animation Studios, Spaff Animation, Sparx Animation Studios, and DisneyToon Studios were credited as special thanks for the film. This film marks as the last film to be distributed by DisneyToon Studios after its defunct on June 2018.

Critical reception
The Lion King Reborn was released to critical acclaim from audiences, critics and even fans, who liked the entire The Lion King franchise. On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a "Certified Fresh" rating of 85%, based on 583 reviews, with an average rating of 7.5 out of 10. On Metacritic, the film has a score of 91 out of 100, based on 81 critics, indicating "universal acclaim". IGN holds a score of 9.9/10, and IMDb holds a score of 9.3/10 based on 336,962 votes. Since July 4th on Independence Day, IMDb holds The Lion Guard episode "The Hyena Resistance" a rating of 9.8 out of 10 based on 9 votes.

Audience reception
Fans and critics praised the film for it's excellent animation, voice acting and while retaining the spirit of the franchise, it included newer elements. Audience reception measured by scientific polling methods was highly positive. Audiences randomly polled by CinemaScore on opening day gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale. Surveys from SurveyMonkey and comScore's PostTrak found that 89% of audience members graded the film positively, including a rare five-star rating.

Box office
W.I.P.

TvTropes page

 * Main article: The Lion King Reborn/Tropes

Release
The film is scheduled to be release in late 2018. It was originally going to be release in summer 2017.

Marketing
It is scheduled to be released on Digital HD, DVD and Blu-ray. On Disc 1 of the DVD, it features the film in widescreen format, a behind-the-scene documentary, footage of the voice actors, DVD Rom, a set-up menu, and a sneak peak for Disc 2. On Disc 2, it features the film in fullscreen format, music videos, sneak peaks, "Behind the Legend: Timon" with Peter Graves, "Who Wants to be King of the Jungle?" with Meredith Vieira, and a set-up menu. On both discs, it includes a Mystery Science Theater 3000-style commentary featuring Timon and Pumbaa and all of the "It's UnBungalievable" shorts are featured as hidden Easter eggs. It will also be released on VHS, dating as one the rarest video tapes to ever be made and to be found and it marked the first Hollywood produced film to be on that format as well as the first Disney release on it since Bambi II. However, the VHS release had even more demand (particularly from fans) than any tapes in History and this would lead into manufacturers producing VHS tapes again, but this time with more innovations such as them having better, enchanced resolutions for the HD remastered tapes.
 * Main article: Marketing of The Lion King Reborn and The Lion King Returns

An alternate version of the film named the Outlands Cut will be released with a subplot featuring Tatiana, Claudia, Quint, Nefu, Sharla and Mr. Pig while their lines and scripts were taken out.

Timon & Pumbaa's Ultimate Virtual Safari Breakdown
A short film named Timon & Pumbaa's Ultimate Virtual Safari Breakdown will be released, featuring Timon and Pumbaa taking Ma and Uncle Max on a virtual ride they have built with parodies of various Disneyland attractions including "It's a Small World", "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride", "Matterhorn Bobsleds", "Pirates of the Caribbean", "Jungle Cruise", "The Haunted Mansion", and "Splash Mountain".
 * See also: Timon & Pumbaa's Ultimate Virtual Safari Breakdown

It features Lane, Sabella, Kavner and Stiller reprising their voice roles from this film.

Video game
A video game for The Lion King Reborn will be released after the film's release. The game will include a story mode, a playable mode, and will have most of the cast returning from the film with a few exceptions: Cam Clarke as Simba; Vanessa Marshall as Nala and Shupavu; Tara Strong as Kiara; Tress MacNeille as Shenzi and Ma; Jeff Bennett as Zazu and Uncle Max; Roger Craig Smith as Sumu and Njano; and Fred Tatasciore as Tamka's armada and Ned, replacing Matthew Broderick, Gabrielle Union, Kristin Chenoweth, Eden Riegel, Whoopi Goldberg, Julie Kavner, Rowan Atkinson, Jerry Stiller, Adam Driver, Rob Lowe, and Frank Welker, respectively.
 * See also: The Lion King Reborn (video game)

Soundtrack
The film has most of the songs all three films: "Digga Tunnah", "That's All I Need", "Circle of Life", "The Morning Report", "I Just Can't Wait to be King", "Be Prepared", "Hakuna Matata", "Can You Feel the Love Tonight", "He Lives in You", and "We Are One". It also includes most of the songs from The Lion Guard, including: "A Beautiful Day (Ni Siku Nzuri)", "Kion's Lament", "We're The Same (Sisi Ni Sawa)", "Duties of the King", "Jackal Style", "Utamu", "All Hail the Vultures", "Don't Make a Stink", "Bird of a Thousand Voices", "She's The Worst Hyena We Know", "Panic And Run", "A Trail To Hope", "Teke Ruka Teleza", "My Own Way", "Bunga the Wise", "Beware the Zimwi", "Outta The Way", "Life in the Pride Lands", "Find Your Roar", "Stand Up, Stand Out", "Lions Over All", "Kuishi ni Kucheka", "Bring Back A Legend", "May There Be Peace", "Hippo Lanes", "Running With The King", "I Do Have a Great Deal to Say", "Tickbirds and Rhinos", "Big Bad Kenge", "Fujo", "Gotta Look On The Bright Side", "Welcome To The Summit", "Hero Inside", "Fabulous Dhahabu", "We're The Smartest", "Give The Little Guy A Chance", "I Have A Plan", "Good King Simba", "Today Is My Way", and "The Path of Honor". It was reported that the film would include songs from the Broadway version, which would soon includes songs "Chow Down", "Rafiki Mourns", "The Madness of King Scar", "Shadowland", and "Endless Night". It will also include the extended versions of "Call of the Guard", "Baboons!", and "Zuka Zama" that were taken during pre-production of The Lion Guard.
 * See also: The Lion King Reborn/Soundtrack

The films' scores were originally composed by Hans Zimmer, Nick Glennie-Smith and Don L. Harper, with The Lion Guard originally composed by Christopher Willis. The scores were arranged by Ludwig Göransson, the composer of Black Panther, and Nitin Sawhney, the composer of the 2019 Netflix film Mowgli. It was reported that Elton John had signed onto the project to rework his musical compositions from the original film before his retirement. On August 7th, Myers announced that Göransson and Sawhney would recompose several tracks from the 2018 film Avengers: Infinity War (originally composed by Alan Silvestri) for some of the film's saddest and action scenes, including "Even For You", "What More Could I Lose?", "Infinity War", and "End Credits". On August 13th, it was announced that Silvestri would re-compose the original scores by Harper, Zimmer, Glennie-Smith and Willis and is confirmed that the film will have several tracks from Avengers: Infinity War.

With permission from Pixar and Kids II, Inc., Silvestri composed several tracks from Toy Story, Toy Story 2, Cars 3, and some of the Baby Einstein company's DVDs for the flashbacks with baby Kion, Bunga and Fuli and some the film's rescuing moments. He also composed the theme from the 1966 film The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly, originally composed by Italian composer Ennio Morricone during the snail slurping contest.

Sequel
On July 27th, a direct sequel and "part two" of the remaster of The Lion King titled The Lion King Returns (known as The Lion King Adventure Pt. 2: Returns outside of North America) was confirmed by director Myers, to which he will return to direct, Hahn will return to produce, Silvestri will return to compose the score, and much of the cast will reprise their roles from the previous film.
 * Main article: The Lion King Returns

The Lion King Returns will take place within the ending of The Lion King Reborn when Simba, Nala, Kiara, Timon, Pumbaa, Rafiki, Kongwe, Kinyonga, Kuchimba, Makini, Jasiri and the Lion Guard must figure out a way to defeat Scar's resurrected form and his army of Outlanders with advice from Simba's spiritual father Mufasa and a very strong gorilla named Shujaa, as well as Azaad and Rani, the leader of the Night Pride.

Broderick, Irons, Union, Riegel, Marsden, Futterman, Lane, Sabella, Payton, Dick, Chabert, Atkinson, Bender, Mitchell, Rush, White, Shaffer, Brown, Bassett, Charles, Paulson, Slater, Kishino, Gasteyer, Common, Ellis, Schon, Mason, DuPree, Dorn, Blum, Klompus, Brooks, LaMarr, Clarke, Lowe, Riley, Strange, Cartañá, Watt, Welker, Fraley, Pounder, Poehler, and McLean are all scheduled to reprise their roles as Simba, Scar, Nala, Kiara, Kovu, Zira, Timon, Pumbaa, Rafiki, Nuka, Vitani, Zazu, Makuu, Makini, Jasiri, Bunga, Fuli, Ono, Beshte, Sarabi, Kion, Tiifu, Zuri, Sarafina, Ushari, Janja, Reirei, Kiburi, Mzingo, Thurston, Chungu, Cheezi, Ma Tembo, Bupu, Makucha, Madoa, Mwitu, Goigoi, Mwoga, Jumla, Njano, Shupavu, Laini, Twiga, Zito, Ned, Jumbo Jumbo, Kongwe, Kinyonga, and Kuchimba while new additions includes Bailey Gambertoglio (replacing Sarah Hyland) as Tiifu, Gary Anthony Williams (replacing James Earl Jones) as Mufasa, Justin Felbinger (replacing Natalie Coughlin) as Mtoto, Mark Hamill as Ridder, Christopher Jackson as Shujaa, Behzad Dabu as Azaad, Seth Rogen as Mooser, and Peyton Elizabeth Lee as Rani.

Transcript

 * See also: The Lion King Reborn/Transcript

Novelization
A canon novel named The Lion King Reborn: Crucible will be released soon.
 * Main article: The Lion King Reborn: Crucible

Taglines

 * Two generations will collide. Only one will survive.
 * The King has returned.
 * Long live the King.
 * An entire universe, once and for all.
 * Let the challenge begin.
 * Where will you be, when it all ends?
 * Destiny arrives.
 * ACCEPT OR SURRENDER.
 * THE END IS NEAR.

Credits

 * Main article: The Lion King Reborn/Credits

Trivia

 * Main article: Trivia of The Lion King Reborn and The Lion King Returns

Rejected ideas

 * Main article: Rejected ideas of The Lion King Reborn and The Lion King Returns

Gallery

 * Main article: The Lion King Reborn/Gallery

Polls
Do You Think The Lion King Reborn is a great idea? Yes No Do You Think The Lion King Reborn: The Outlands Cut is ANOTHER great idea? Yes No Are you interested in seeing The Lion King Reborn when it comes on this page? YES! I Am Very Excited! No. I'm Not That Interested. Who do you think is the best character in The Lion King Reborn? Simba Scar Kovu Nala Kiara Zira Pumbaa Timon Rafiki Fuli Jasiri Shenzi Nuka Vitani Zazu Makuu Banzai Tiifu Ed Rani Makini Bunga Ono Beshte Ma (Timon's mother) Uncle Max Sarabi Kion Africalous (the film's narrator) Pa (a.k.a. Fearless Buzz) Zuri Sarafina Mufasa Ushari Janja Reirei Kiburi Mzingo Shupavu Sumu