The Lion King Movies In Order

1994's The Lion King has managed to spawn a massive franchise full of animated and live-action movies, and here is every The Lion King film that has been released in order. While Disney's original animated classic is still the most well-known The Lion King movie, many fans of the original may not know just how many The Lion King films they are, with there being multiple direct sequels to the first movie. So, here is a complete breakdown of every entry in The Lion King franchise, which movies exist in which continuity, and how to watch them in order.

Mufasa: The Lion King is 2024's new addition to The Lion King franchise, with the live-action prequel movie giving a look at Mufasa and Scar's early lives in a way that hasn't yet been seen. The epic prequel to the 2019 live-action The Lion King remake has made many fans want to see what else the franchise offers outside of the original The Lion King story, and there is plenty to choose from. Whether it be the live-action films, the direct-to-DVD sequels, or the The Lion King television specials, all kinds of The Lion King movies have been made since 1994.

The Lion King Movies In Release Order

From 1994 To 2024

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1994's The Lion King ended with the reveal that Simba and Nala have had a child of their own, with the addition of this new character creating an entire timeline of The Lion King sequels and spinoffs. The Lion King II: Simba's Pride capitalized on this setup, with it following the story of Simba and Nala's son Kiara as she falls for an outsider lion named Kovu. The Lion King 1½, meanwhile, is a midquel that follows Timon and Pumbaa's adventures during the events of The Lion King. These all lead up to The Lion Guard TV series, which has three movies of its own.

Related Where To Watch Mufasa: The Lion King - Showtimes & Streaming Status Disney has brought the Lion King franchise back with a prequel. Here's where to watch Mufasa: The Lion King in theaters, on streaming, and on digital.

Movie Release Year The Lion King 1994 The Lion King II: Simba's Pride 1998 The Lion King 1½ 2004 The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar 2015 The Lion Guard: The Rise of Scar 2017 The Lion King 2019 The Lion Guard: Battle for the Pride Lands 2019 Mufasa: The Lion King 2024

The Animated Lion King Movies In Chronological Order

The Lion King (1994)

Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 star 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star 0/10 Leave a Review Your changes have been saved My List My Favorite Movies My Watchlist Success! 10/10 The Lion King The Lion King is an animated film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. Released in 1994, it tells the story of Simba, a young lion cub who faces the responsibilities of adulthood and reclaiming his birthright as king of the Pride Lands. Featuring an iconic voice cast that includes Matthew Broderick, James Earl Jones, and Jeremy Irons, the film explores themes of family, duty, and the circle of life. Where to Watch stream

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buy Not available Not available Not available *Availability in US Release Date June 24, 1994 Runtime 88 Minutes Main Genre Animation Cast Matthew Broderick , Moira Kelly , Nathan Lane , Ernie Sabella , Robert Guillaume Director Roger Allers , Rob Minkoff Writers Linda Woolverton , Jonathan Roberts , Irene Mecchi Budget 45000000.0 Studio(s) Walt Disney Pictures , Walt Disney Feature Animation Expand

Whether you're watching The Lion King franchise in chronological order or in release order, the place to start is with 1994's The Lion King. The film starts with Simba as a lion cub, with the first half of the movie covering Simba's childhood up until Scar kills Mufasa, causing Simba to run away from the Pride Lands. Once Simba is with Timon and Pumbaa, the song "Hakuna Matata" contains a time jump, ending with Simba as an adult. By the end of The Lion King, the adult Simba returns home, kills Scar, becomes king, and gives birth to Kiara.

The Lion King 1½ (2004)

Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 star 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star 0/10 Your changes have been saved My List My Favorite Movies My Watchlist Success! The Lion King 1 1/2 Timon and Pumba reveal the main story of their lives, how they met in the past and also how they later came to know Simba and become friends with him. Where to Watch stream

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buy Not available Not available Not available *Availability in US Release Date February 6, 2004 Runtime 77 minutes Main Genre Animation Cast Nathan Lane , Ernie Sabella , Julie Kavner Jerry Stiller , Matthew Broderick , Robert Guillaume Director Bradley Raymond Writers Tom Rogers , Roger Allers , Irene Mecchi , Raymond Singer , Evan Spiliotopoulos Expand

The timeline of The Lion King 1½ is a bit jumpy, with it taking place at various points throughout the timeline of The Lion King. Rather than serving as a proper prequel or sequel, The Lion King 1½ acts more like a midquel, showing what Timon and Pumbaa were up to when they were offscreen during the original 1994 film. Parts of the film show Timon's life before meeting Pumbaa, but the bulk of the film shows Timon and Pumbaa's life with Simba through the eyes of the comedic duo, meaning that it is best placed as the second film chronologically.

The Lion King II: Simba's Pride (1998)

Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 star 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star 0/10 Leave a Review Your changes have been saved My List My Favorite Movies My Watchlist Success! 6.5/10 The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride The Lion King 2, also known as The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride, is a direct-to-video release unveiled in 1998 that acted as a direct sequel to the original Disney feature film. This title sees Simba and Nala's daughter Kiara rebelling against her father's overprotective nature and branching out where she meets another cub from a far away place. Where to Watch stream

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buy Not available Not available Not available *Availability in US Release Date October 27, 1998 Runtime 81minutes Franchise(s) The Lion King Cast Matthew Broderick , Jason Marsden Writers Matthew Broderick prequel(s) The Lion King Studio(s) Disney Distributor(s) Disney Expand

The first proper sequel to The Lion King is The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, with it being the third film in the chronological The Lion King timeline. Much like the original film, The Lion King II: Simba's Pride contains a major time jump, with the first half of the film focusing on Kiara and Kovu's time as lion cubs, and the second half of the film taking place years later and following adult versions of Kiara and Kovu. So, parts of The Lion King II: Simba's Pride take place between The Lion King and The Lion Guard series, while some parts take place after The Lion Guard.

The Lion Guard: Return Of The Roar (2015)

Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 star 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star 0/10 Leave a Review Your changes have been saved My List My Favorite TV Shows My Watchlist Success! The Lion Guard The Lion Guard follows Kion, son of Simba, as he leads a team tasked with protecting the Pride Lands. Combining courage and collaboration, Kion and his diverse group of animal friends ensure harmony by defending their territory from threats and maintaining the Circle of Life. Where to Watch Season All Season 1 Season 2 Season 3 stream

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buy Not available Not available Not available *Availability in US Release Date January 15, 2016 Main Genre Animation Cast Dusan Brown , Joshua Rush , Max Charles , Atticus Shaffer , Diamond White , Peyton Elizabeth Lee , Maia Mitchell , Sarah Hyland , Tunisia Hardison , Jason Marsden , Jacob Bertrand , David Oyelowo , Mekai Curtis , Clyde Kusatsu , Ai-chan Carrier Character(s) Beshte , Bunga , Kion , Ono , Fuli , Rani , Jasiri , Tiifu , Swala , Kovu , Chama , Scar , Fuhara , Domog , Kimyo Creator(s) Ford Riley Seasons 3 Expand

2015's The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar acts as a The Lion King television movie as well as a pilot for the TV series The Lion Guard. The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar and the rest of The Lion Guard TV series take place in the middle of The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, with it taking place after Kiara and Kovu meet in The Lion King II: Simba's Pride but before both lions become adults. The only exception to this is the last two The Lion Guard episodes, which take place after the events of The Lion King II: Simba's Pride have concluded.

The Lion Guard: The Rise Of Scar (2017)

The Lion Guard: The Rise of Scar takes place during season 2 of The Lion Guard, placing it after The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar. This also means that The Lion Guard: The Rise of Scar takes place after the first half of The Lion King II: Simba's Pride but before the second half of the film. The Lion Guard: The Rise of Scar also features a flashback scene explaining the origins of Scar, which take place before the 1994 original.

Related Mufasa's Positive Early Reactions Shouldn't Be Surprising Thanks To 1 Key The Lion King Difference Mufasa: The Lion King's first reactions have been revealed, highlighting some major truths about how it compares to the 2019 The Lion King remake.

The Lion Guard: Battle For The Pride Lands (2019)

The Lion Guard: Battle for the Pride Lands kicks off season 3 of The Lion Guard, meaning that it takes place after The Lion Guard: The Rise of Scar. Like its TV predecessors, it also takes place in the middle of The Lion King II: Simba's Pride.

The "Live-Action" Lion King Movies In Chronological Order

Mufasa: The Lion King (2024)

Your changes have been saved My List My Favorite Movies My Watchlist Success! Mufasa: The Lion King Mufasa: The Lion King is a prequel to the live-action remake of the original Disney animated film, The Lion King. The film will follow Mufasa in his early days; further plot details are currently under wraps. The film will likely explore Mufasa and Scar's relationship and how it became as strained as it did. In the film, Timon and Pumba will return, with Billy Eicher and Seth Rogen reprising their roles. Release Date December 20, 2024 Main Genre Adventure Cast Seth Rogen , Billy Eichner , Kelvin Harrison Jr. , Aaron Pierre , John Kani Director Barry Jenkins Writers Jeff Nathanson Distributor(s) Disney Expand

Of the two live-action The Lion King movies, Mufasa: The Lion King takes place first chronologically. The film acts as a prequel to the 2019 film, with it exploring the lives of Mufasa and Scar before the birth of Simba. Some scenes in the prequel feature both characters as cubs, while other scenes feature both as adults.

The Lion King (2019)

A remake of the 1994 film, 2019's The Lion King features Mufasa and Scar already as adults, with it taking place after Mufasa: The Lion King. Much like the original film, half of the 2019 remake takes place with Simba as a cub, while the second half takes place with Simba as an adult.

Which Order To Watch The Lion King Movies In

Release Or Chronological Order?

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When deciding which order to watch The Lion King movies, release order works best. While viewing the films in chronological order can be fun, the time jumps in each film make it too confusing, with the only proper way to do it being to pause The Lion King II: Simba's Pride halfway through and watch The Lion Guard movies. On top of that, the release orders and chronological orders line up pretty well, making release order the ideal The Lion King viewing experience.