Rotten Tomatoes
Submit search Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

The Lion King

Play trailer 1:13 Poster for The Lion King G 1994 1h 28m Kids & Family Musical Adventure Animation Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
92% Tomatometer 172 Reviews 93% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings
This Disney animated feature follows the adventures of the young lion Simba (Jonathan Taylor Thomas), the heir of his father, Mufasa (James Earl Jones). Simba's wicked uncle, Scar (Jeremy Irons), plots to usurp Mufasa's throne by luring father and son into a stampede of wildebeests. But Simba escapes, and only Mufasa is killed. Simba returns as an adult (Matthew Broderick) to take back his homeland from Scar with the help of his friends Timon (Nathan Lane) and Pumbaa (Ernie Sabella).
Watch on Fandango Stream Now

Where to Watch

The Lion King

The Lion King

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Emotionally stirring, richly drawn, and beautifully animated, The Lion King is a pride within Disney's pantheon of classic family films.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View More
Bernard Zuel Sydney Morning Herald Apr 29
The beauty and precision of the animation in this Disney film is its most obvious feature. You find yourself praising the lighting and cinematography before realising it's all in the drawings. Go to Full Review
David Denby New York Magazine/Vulture 12/20/2024
The grandeur of the Serengeti Plain comes through the animation, and the young audience may actually feel something like amazement. Go to Full Review
Rob Salem Toronto Star 12/19/2024
4/5
The unique matching of voice to visual makes each of the characters sing, in the figurative as well as the literal sense. Go to Full Review
Jeffrey Gantz Boston Phoenix 12/20/2024
Best of all is Scar: his sly treachery is worthy of Shakespeare's master overreacher, and Jeremy Irons responds as if born to play Richard III. Go to Full Review
Nanciann Cherry Toledo Blade 12/20/2024
4/4
A superb movie, with a timeless story, many levels of humor, and artwork that conveys images and themes that real-life movies could only hint at. Go to Full Review
Michael D. Reid Victoria Times Colonist (B.C., Canada) 12/20/2024
Apart from the brilliant, incredibly-detailed animation, the film's most overwhelming asset is the inspired vocal casting. Go to Full Review
Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
Ben W 10/11/2023 Great! Classic! Amazing music and touching story. See more A 10/02/2023 it's a wonderful movie. I didn't get to watch it in Theaters because I was too young at the time. it's a great movie and all the kids and parents will love it. See more MC R @RT91491190 2d I wanted to rewatch this for a long time and I decided to watch it today! Lion King is a Disney classic and my all time favorite Disney animation movie. I always loved it and watch it all the time as a kid, in Dutch to be honest because I was a kid! The animation is beautiful, the music is great and the voice cast is perfect. James Earl Jones is incredible as Mufasa. A true icon! Jeremy Irons was legendary as Scar and I loved Rowan Atkinson as Zazu. Loved the humor from the Heyena's and obviously Timon and Pumba. Hakuna Matata is a iconic song and I always loved that. The live action is some fresher in my memory and I though it was great. But nothing can beat the original so much better and funnier! The Lion King is truly great! It was fun to rewatch again! See more Luke C @Don_L Jul 12 One of my favourite movies of all time See more Babatunde Michael A @Teeabod Jul 3 The Lion King is one of the greatest animated movies ever made. It's the kind of movie that stays with you long after it ends, no matter how many times you watch it. The story is a beautiful mix of adventure, heartbreak, love, and redemption, with powerful lessons about family, responsibility, and finding the courage to become who you're meant to be. Watching Simba grow from a carefree cub into a wise and courageous king was both inspiring and emotional. His journey of overcoming fear, guilt, and self-doubt is something many of us can relate to. The supporting characters Mufasa, Timon, Pumbaa, Rafiki, and even Scar, each played unforgettable roles that made the story even more impactful. The animation was stunning for its time, the soundtrack is absolutely iconic, and the emotional moments still hit just as hard today. Every scene feels meaningful, making this more than just an animated movie, it's a timeless classic that speaks to audiences of all ages. See more Sabih A @RT57875922 Jun 27 King Lives The Long So, I watched the live-action one first unaware that it was adapting anything and very quickly thought the story was peak. Until I realized it was a live action remake so, I knew I had to watch the original although I took my time I finally came around to it. Well its exactly what I expected I bummed down my rating for the live action one because since this is the original where the story was first made I have to give this one the same rating I gave the live action or better. Well what do I even say, the story is just such a great Animal Animated Adventure for people to experience and just very worthy of its high praise. In Short: Basically this is Disney's Pride Rock, Top Tier Adventure movie for animation with a great message, and good characters. See more Read all reviews
The Lion King

My Rating

Read More Read Less WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW POST RATING
Tarzan 90% 75% Tarzan Watchlist TRAILER for Tarzan Pocahontas 59% 64% Pocahontas Watchlist TRAILER for Pocahontas Brother Bear 38% 66% Brother Bear Watchlist TRAILER for Brother Bear Aladdin 96% 92% Aladdin Watchlist TRAILER for Aladdin Hercules 83% 76% Hercules Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis This Disney animated feature follows the adventures of the young lion Simba (Jonathan Taylor Thomas), the heir of his father, Mufasa (James Earl Jones). Simba's wicked uncle, Scar (Jeremy Irons), plots to usurp Mufasa's throne by luring father and son into a stampede of wildebeests. But Simba escapes, and only Mufasa is killed. Simba returns as an adult (Matthew Broderick) to take back his homeland from Scar with the help of his friends Timon (Nathan Lane) and Pumbaa (Ernie Sabella).
Director
Roger Allers, Rob Minkoff
Producer
Don Hahn
Screenwriter
Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, Linda Woolverton
Distributor
Walt Disney Pictures
Production Co
Walt Disney Pictures
Rating
G
Genre
Kids & Family, Musical, Adventure, Animation
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 24, 1994, Wide
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Jul 12, 2024
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 15, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$95.6M
Runtime
1h 28m
Sound Mix
Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Stereo, SDDS, DTS-ES, Dolby A, Surround, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)