What if Walt Disney was the producer of Looney Tunes/Walt Disney Animated Classics/The Lion King

The Lion King is a 1994 American animated musical comedy-drama adventure film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is the 65th Disney animated feature film, and the 13th animated film produced during a period known as the Disney Renaissance. The Lion King was directed by Roger Allers, Rob Minkoff and Don Bluth, produced by Walt Disney and Don Hahn, with Steven Spielberg as an executive producer, and has a screenplay credited to Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, and Linda Woolverton. Its original songs were written by composer Elton John and lyricist Tim Rice, and original scores were written by Hans Zimmer. The film features an ensemble voice cast that includes Matthew Broderick, Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, Jeremy Irons, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Moira Kelly, Rowan Atkinson, Robert Guillaume, Madge Sinclair, Julie Kavner, Jerry Stiller, Whoopi Goldberg, Cheech Marin, and Jim Cummings. The story takes place in a kingdom of lions in Africa and was influenced by William Shakespeare's Hamlet.

The Lion King tells the story of Simba, a young lion who is to succeed his father, Mufasa, as King of the Pride Lands; however, after Simba's uncle Scar (Mufasa's jealous younger brother), murders Mufasa, Simba is manipulated into thinking he was responsible and flees into exile. Upon maturation living with two wastrels, Simba is given some valuable perspective from his childhood friend, Nala, and his shaman, Rafiki, before returning to challenge Scar to end his tyranny and take his place in the Circle of Life as the rightful King. The film also follows a subplot involving a meerkart named Timon and a warthog named Pumbaa (the same two wastrels who lived with Simba) who search a place for Timon's meerkat colony to hide a bunch of hyenas (using the African word "Hakuna Matata", a meaning to "no worries", as a clue), coming across some scenes in the main plot.

Development of The Lion King began in 1988 during a meeting between Walt Disney with his co-producers Chuck Jones, Friz Freleng, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Roy E. Disney, Don Bluth, and Peter Schneider while promoting the studio's then-new films Oliver & Company and The Land Before Time in Europe. Thomas Disch wrote a film treatment, and Woolverton developed the first scripts while George Scribner was signed on as director, being later joined by Allers and Bluth. Production began in 1991 concurrently with Pocahontas and The Pebble and the Penguin, which wound up attracting most of Disney's top animators. Some time after the staff traveled to Hell's Gate National Park in Kenya to research on the film's setting and animals, Scribner left production disagreeing with the decision to turn the film into a musical and was replaced by Minkoff. When Hahn joined the project, he was dissatisfied with the script and the story was promptly rewritten. Nearly 20 minutes of animation sequences were produced at Disney-MGM Studios in Florida. Computer animation was also used in several scenes, most notably in the wildebeest stampede sequence.

The Lion King was released on June 15, 1994, to a positive reaction from critics, who praised the film for its music, story, and animation; it finished its theatrical run as the highest-grossing release of 1994 and the second highest-grossing film of all time. It is also the highest-grossing traditionally animated film of all time. The Lion King garnered two Academy Awards for its achievement in music and the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. After the film's success, a direct-to-video sequel entitled The Lion King II: Simba's Pride was released in 1998 and a spinoff TV series Timon and Pumbaa, starring Simbaa's two friends and protagonists from the film's subplot, was premiered in 1995.

In 2016, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". A CGI live-action remake of the film directed by Jon Favreau is scheduled for a July 19, 2019 release in the United States.

Plot
In the Pride Lands of Africa, a lion rules over the animal kingdom from Pride Rock. King Mufasa's newborn son, Simba, is presented to the assembled animals by Rafiki, a mandrill who serves as shaman and advisor. Mufasa shows young Simba the Pride Lands and explains to him the responsibilities of kingship and the "circle of life" which connects all living things. Mufasa's younger brother, Scar, covets the throne and plots to eliminate Mufasa and Simba so he may become king. He tricks Simba and his best friend Nala—to whom Simba is betrothed—into exploring a forbidden elephants' graveyard, where they are attacked by three spotted hyenas who are in league with Scar. Mufasa is alerted to the danger by his majordomo, the hornbill Zazu, and rescues the cubs. 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.

At the meanwhile, a meekart named Timon, who is a social outcast in his meerkat colony on the outskirts of the Pride Lands, dreams for more in life than his colony's bleak existence hiding from predators. His uncle Max is nearly eaten by Shenzi, Banzai and Ed, the same three hyenas who tried to kill Simba and Nala, due to Timon's day dreaming. This becomes the last straw for the colony, prompting Timon to leave to find a better life. He meets Rafiki, who advises him to find his place in the world via the motto "hakuna matata" ("no worries" in Swahili) and to "look beyond what you see". Timon takes this saying literally and observes Pride Rock in the distance. Seeing it as a possible clue in his quest, Timon ventures to the rock and encounters a warthog Pumbaa on his way. The two quickly form a bond and Pumbaa accompanies Timon.

Scar sets a trap for his brother and nephew, luring Simba into a gorge and having the hyenas drive a large herd of wildebeest into a stampede that will trample him. He informs Mufasa of Simba's peril, knowing the king will rush to save his son. Mufasa saves Simba but ends up hanging perilously from the gorge's edge and is betrayed by Scar, who sends him falling to his death, while Timon and Pumbaa, still in their quest, are chased by the stampede, but miraculously survive albeit being thrown off a waterfall. Scar convinces Simba that the tragedy was Simba's own fault and advises him to flee the kingdom. He orders the hyenas to kill the cub, but Simba escapes. Scar tells the pride that both Mufasa and Simba were killed in the stampede and steps forward as the new king, allowing a large pack of hyenas to live in the Pride Lands.

Exhausted from their adventure, Timon decides to give up, until Pumbaa (who had been talking about a magical place that raised skepticism from Timon) turns Timon's head to a luxurious green jungle. The pair finally settle there with the philosophy of "Hakuna Matata". During their time there, they encounter Simba in a nearby desert, nearly dead. The pair rescue young Simba and decide to raise him under their philosophy. Scenes are shown of Simba's chaotic upbringing as a hyperactive and affectionate young cub. Simba grows up in the jungle with his two new friends.

Now a young adult, Simba rescues Timon and Pumbaa from a hungry lioness who turns out to be Nala. She and Simba reunite and fall in love. Believing "Hakuna Matata" to be in jeopardy, Timon attempts to sabotage their dates, but fails. Nala urges Simba 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 and Pumbaa encounter Rafiki, who tells them that Mufasa' spirit lives on in Simba. Simba is visited by the ghost of Mufasa in the night sky, who tells him he must take his rightful place as king. Realizing he can no longer run from his past, Simba decides to return home.

To Timon's horror, Nala and Rafiki explain that he had run off to challenge Scar, and need their help. After Nala leaves to follow Simba, Timon, who is hurt that Simba had left them, unsuccessfully tries to persuade Pumbaa to stay, believing he has everything he wants in the jungle. Pumbaa leaves to follow Simba, and loneliness starts to overcome Timon. 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 then journeying on to Pride Rock.

Aided by his friends, Simba sneaks past the hyenas at Pride Rock and confronts Scar, at the same time Timon reunites with his mom and Uncle Max, who came looking for Timon (after Ma, Timon's mother, met Rafiki earlier in the film). Scar taunts Simba 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. Timon, Pumbaa, Rafiki, Zazu, and the lionesses fend off the hyenas while Scar, attempting to escape, is cornered by Simba at the top of Pride Rock. Timon proposes that they help Simba by getting rid of the hyenas. Whilst Simba battles Scar, Ma and Uncle Max are directed to construct a series of tunnels beneath them, and Timon and Pumbaa use various tactics to distract the hyenas while the tunnel is being made. When the tunnels are finished, Max quickly knocks down the sticks, breaking the ground under the hyenas. However, the last few get stuck and the plan fails. Cornered once again by the hyenas, Timon bravely dives underground and breaks the remaining sticks, completing the cave in, and causing the hyenas to be ejected through the tunnels. Scar begs for mercy and attempts to blame the hyenas for his actions; Simba spares his life but orders him to leave the Pride Lands forever. Scar attacks his nephew, but Simba manages to toss him from the top of the rock. Scar survives the fall but is killed by the hyenas, who overheard him betray them to Simba. With Scar gone, Simba accepts his place as king of the Pride Lands, thanking Timon and Pumbaa for helping him, as the rains begin to fall, restoring life to the land.

Later, with Pride Rock restored to its former glory, Rafiki presents Simba and Nala's newborn cub to the assembled animals, continuing the circle of life.

Cast

 * Matthew Broderick as Simba, son of Mufasa and Sarabi, who grows up to become King of the Pride Lands. Rock singer Joseph Williams provided adult Simba's singing voice. Mark Henn and Ruben A. Aquinorespectively served as the supervising animators for young and adult Simba.
 * Jonathan Taylor Thomas voiced young Simba, while Jason Weaver provided the cub's singing voice.
 * Nathan Lane as Timon, a wise-cracking and self-absorbed yet somewhat loyal meerkat who is Pumbaa's best friend and one of Simba's best friends and adoptive parents. Though somewhat selfish, arrogant, and withdrawn, Timon shows courageous loyalty towards his friends. Michael Surrey served as his supervising animator.
 * Ernie Sabella as Pumbaa, a naïve warthog who suffers from flatulence and is Timon's best friend and also becomes one of Simba's best friends and adoptive parents. who is Timon's best friend. Though slow-witted, he is very empathetic and willing to trust and befriend anyone. He is also claustrophobic and passes gas in crowds. Tony Bancroft served as his supervising animator.
 * Jeremy Irons as Scar, Mufasa's younger brother and Simba's uncle, who takes the throne. Andreas Dejaserved as the supervising animator for Scar.
 * James Earl Jones as Mufasa, Simba's father, King of the Pride Lands as the film begins. Tony Fucile served as the supervising animator for Mufasa.
 * Moira Kelly as Nala, Simba's best friend and later his wife. Sally Dworsky provided her singing voice. Aaron Blaise and Anthony de Rosa respectively served as the supervising animators for young and adult Nala.
 * Niketa Calame provided the voice of young Nala while Laura Williams provided her singing voice.
 * Robert Guillaume as Rafiki, a wise old mandrill (although, while counseling Simba, he jokes that "you are a baboon, and I am not") who serves as shaman of the Pride Lands and presents newborn cubs of the King and Queen to the animals of the Pride Lands. James Baxter served as the supervising animator for Rafiki.
 * Rowan Atkinson as Zazu, a hornbill who serves as the king's majordomo (or "Mufasa's little stooge", as Shenzi calls him). Ellen Woodbury served as the supervising animator for Zazu.
 * Madge Sinclair as Sarabi, Mufasa's mate, Simba's mother, and the leader of the lioness hunting party. Russ Edmonds served as the supervising animator for Sarabi.
 * Julie Kavner as Ma, Timon's caring mother. She is overly protective and attached to her son, often trying to get him accepted amongst the meerkat colony, but never succeeding. Lianne Hughes served as the supervising animator for Ma.
 * Jerry Stiller as Uncle Max, 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. Lianne Hughes served as the supervising animator for Max.
 * The three hyenas who antagonized Timon's meerkat colony at the film's beginning and serve Scar were animated by Alex Kupershmidt and David Burgess.
 * Whoopi Goldberg as Shenzi, the sassy and short-tempered female leader of the trio.
 * Cheech Marin as Banzai, an aggressive and hot-headed hyena prone to complaining and acting on impulse.
 * Jim Cummings as Ed, a dim-witted hyena who does not talk, only communicating through laughter. Cummings also voiced a mole that talks with Zazu and made a guest appearance as Scar in certain lines of "Be Prepared" after Irons blew his voice.
 * Zoe Leader as Sarafina, Nala's mother, who is shown briefly talking to Simba's mother, Sarabi.