Learn more about ‘The Lion King’, the animated film that conquered the world and continues to be successful today
This Saturday, one of Disney’s most acclaimed animations completes 29 years of release: “The Lion King”. Its official premiere took place on June 24, 1994, and soon marked its name as the highest grossing of the year, and one of the highest in the entire history of cinema. The plot of Simba, Mufasa and all their family was so loved by the world’s public, that the production is also recognized as the most watched hand-drawn animation in the world.
To this day, thousands of fans around the world continue with their immense love for animation, transmitting this affection to the next generations who already grow up knowing the famous “Hakuna Matata”.
If you are also a fan of “The Lion King”, celebrate this very special date with some fun facts about your favorite animated film.
1. First animation to be created from an original idea
It is quite common for Disney animations to be adaptations of old tales, or even real stories of people who existed years ago. “Pocahontas” and “Mulan”, for example, are based on two women who lived in China and the United States a long time ago. “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” and “Sleeping Beauty” are inspired by fairy tales written by Brothers Grimm.
However, this did not happen with “The Lion King”. The entire animation story was created from an original idea by the screenwriters, being the first studio to perform such an act. The plot has some references to other famous works, such as “Hamlet”, by William Shakespearehowever, its entire plot is entirely authored by the House of Mickey.
2. Produced at the same time as Pocahontas
Disney is always looking to produce new hits. In the 1990s, the studio was producing two new animated films at the same time: “Pocahontas” and “The Lion King”. At that time, the production team was betting that the film that would have the greatest success would be the newest princess, due to its historical inspiration and, therefore, they put all their best professionals at the disposal of the Native American character.
What they didn’t expect is that the biggest success would come from exactly the movie they didn’t have much hope for. Even though “Pocahontas” did very well critically and at the box office, nothing compared to the buzz caused by “The Lion King.” While the princess has accumulated 346 million dollars worldwide, Simba, Mufasa, Timon, Pumbaa and company have raised more than 783 million dollars around the world.
3. Three years for two and a half minutes
At the beginning of the film, we can see the scene in which a herd of wildebeest runs through the savannah and, in seconds, ends up running over Mufasa. When watching, it may seem like a simple scene of just two and a half minutes, but it’s a lot more complicated than it looks.
To be fully completed, just this sequence took about two years of production to look the way we see it in theaters. Surprising, right?
4. ‘Can You Feel the Love Tonight’ (‘On this night love arrived’) was almost left out
Yes, one of the most iconic songs in animation was almost left out. The song had been removed from the final cut, however, the day was saved thanks to the singer Elton Johnresponsible for writing the song, a few weeks before the release of the film.
When watching the film in advance – something common in cinema – he would have noticed the absence of the song and asked to put it back. After the premiere, “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” ended up being nominated for an Oscar, where it won the category of Best Original Song.
5. Billionaire Toys
It’s no surprise that “The Lion King” made a lot of money for Disney at the box office. However, the company’s big profit from the production did not come from tickets sold around the world, but from official toys inspired by the franchise.
According to an article published by Entertainment Weekly in the year 1995, the walt disney accumulated over $1 billion in 1994 from “The Lion King” toys alone. It is worth remembering that this account does not include products such as backpacks, clothing or accessories. All of that money came from items like stuffed animals, dolls, games, and more.
Source: Recreio
