7 THINGS THAT YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT THE LION KING
By Oh My Disney
Happy 25th anniversary to this record-holding animated classic!
The Lion King is iconic in every way. The story. The score. The songs. The ground-breaking animation techniques. Not only has the love for it endured through the years since it first arrived in cinemas in 1994, it has inspired an award-winning stage musical that has been seen by over 100 million worldwide and, soon, a live-action film directed by Jon Favreau and featuring an ensemble cast. To say that we’re excited would be a serious understatement.
To celebrate 25 years of this incredible animated film, we look at seven interesting things about it that we’ll bet you didn’t know about it. Let’s go!
FACT #1: THE LION KING WAS ORIGINALLY GOING TO BE CALLED THE KING OF THE JUNGLE.
But lions don’t typically live in jungles. Plus, The Lion King’s got a much better ring to it, don’t you think?
FACT #2: THE WILDEBEEST STAMPEDE TOOK THREE YEARS TO CREATE
For a six-minute scene, isn’t that crazy? In addition to drawing thousands of wildebeests, the CG department had to create an entirely new programme so that the wildebeests wouldn’t pass through each other while they were running, allowing for a more realistic animation sequence.
FACT #3: THE CONSTELLATION LEO IS IN THE NIGHT SKY WHEN MUFASA IS TALKING TO YOUNG SIMBA.
“Dad? We’re pals, right?” This beautifully animated scene gets us EVERY TIME.
FACT #4: THE ACTORS BEHIND TIMON AND PUMBAA AUDITONED FOR VERY DIFFERENT ROLES.
Ernie Sabella (Pumbaa) had auditioned for a hyena, while Nathan Lane (Timon) was going to audition for Zazu. They ran into each other at the audition and decided to do it togther as a pair of hyenas. The filmmakers loved their energy so much that they casted them as Timon and Pumbaa.
FACT #5: REAL ANIMALS WERE BROUGHT INTO THE STUDIO.
Echoeing the technique Walt Disney used in the production of Bambi, animals, including lions, were brought into the studios so that the animators could study how their bodies moved.
FACT #6: MUFASA WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE A SONG.
It would have been called “King of the Wild”, where he explained to Simba the delicate balance of the land. “Hakuna Matata” was also supposed to have additional verses that explained how Timon came to be an outcast.
FACT #7: THE LION KING IS STILL THE HIGHEST GROSSING TRADITIONALLY ANIMATED FILM OF ALL TIME.
When it comes to traditional animation, The Lion King still holds the reigning title, 25 years on. Now, that’s a classic. To 25 years and many more!
The Lion King is available on iTunes and Google Play.