The Lion King (1994)
Disney has a long history of delivering successful animated musicals, but The Lion King is undoubtedly one of their best, thanks to the music of Hans Zimmer and the lyrical work of Elton John and Tim Rice.
The film is directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff, with a script written by Linda Woolverton, Irene Mecchi and Jonathan Roberts. It depicts the almost Shakespearean tale of a young lion set to succeed his father as king. When he is led to believe that he was responsible for the patriarch’s early demise, however, he exiles himself – only to discover, once grown, that his dastardly uncle was behind the plot to gain control of the kingdom.
Winning Academy Awards for musical achievement, the songs of The Lion King are among the most loved of Disney’s back catalogue – not least the bouncy and rousing renditions of “I Just Can’t Wait To Be King,” “Hakuna Matata” and “Circle Of Life.” Its popularity is such, that it spawned its own stage production, which has become one of the most successful in the history of Broadway.