It appears that Disney is considering a new entry in The Lion King franchise, which should not be surprising given how much money the franchise has made. Released in 1994, The Lion King was a movie that surprised Disney and the world. It held the record for the highest-grossing animated film until Finding Nemo, and remains the highest-grossing hand-drawn animated film. The Lion King has been an invitation for Disney to print money, as the Broadway stage show is the third-longest-running series in history and has made $1.9 billion, while the photorealistic remake and its prequel are among the highest-grossing movies of their respective release years.
Scooper Daniel Richtman reports that Disney is moving forward with a new theatrical Lion King film, but has no details on what this movie could focus on. Disney has not officially confirmed any news on a new Lion King entry, so this should be treated as a rumor for now.
Is Disney Gearing Up for a Remake of a Direct-to-Video Classic?
The idea of Disney moving forward on another entry in The Lion King remake franchise should not be surprising. The 2019 film grossed $1.6 billion worldwide and ranks as the 11th-highest-grossing movie of all time, unadjusted. While initial reporting on Mufasa: The Lion King was much more negative due to a disappointing opening weekend, the movie rebounded incredibly well and grossed $722 million worldwide.
If Disney were to move forward with a new Lion King movie, the natural point would be an adaptation of The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride, the direct-to-video sequel released in 1998. Kiara, Simba, and Nala’s daughter, who was introduced in The Lion King II, already featured in Mufasa: The Lion King. The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride featured the character Kovu, originally pitched as Scar’s son but later changed to avoid making him and Kiara, the romantic pair, related. Mufasa: The Lion King retconned that Mufasa and Scar are not blood-related, a creative decision potentially made to line up with future plans for the franchise.
Following the poor box office performance of Snow White, Disney initially seemed to be pivoting away from live-action remakes, as Aristocrats and Bambi were put on hold. However, following the $1 billion worldwide gross of Lilo & Stitch, Disney seems to be focusing on movies based on their more recent Disney properties from the past 35 years. A live-action Moana is set for 2026 with Scarlett Johansson reportedly circling the role of Mother Gothel in a Tangled remake. Even though Disney has not officially confirmed a third photorealistic The Lion King, it feels like a safe bet from a business perspective. More safe than a third Tron movie ever was.
- Release Date
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July 19, 2019
- Runtime
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118 minutes
- Franchise(s)
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The Lion King