The original was already one of the most beloved animated movies ever, so it was no surprise that Disney’s The Lion King remake went down like gangbusters when it arrived in theaters over the summer. And it’s also no surprise that we’re hearing the studio is considering developing a sequel to a movie that earned them over $1.6 billion at the global box office.
We Got This Covered has been informed by our sources – the same ones who told us an Aladdin sequel was happening, which we now know to be true – that Disney wants to do a Lion King follow-up. According to what we’ve heard, though, director Jon Favreau isn’t so keen on the idea, which may mean that a new director will be hired to helm it. We’ve also been told that it’s not a sure thing just yet, but they’re certainly discussing it given the barnstorming success of the first one.
The handy thing about looking to make a sequel to The Lion King is that the animated franchise is already well-populated, meaning Disney has a lot of material to work with. The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride, for example, explores what happens to Simba’s daughter Kiara, glimpsed at the end of the original movie.
Then there’s The Lion King 1.5, which followed Timon and Pumbaa’s solo adventures. Doing more with Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen’s versions would likely go down well with fans, considering their popularity. Alternatively, there’s The Lion Guard TV series, focusing on Kion, Simba’s youngest, who possesses a mystically powerful roar.
Of course, if the follow-up does go ahead, it’s likely Disney will conceive of an original storyline that maybe picks and chooses elements of the animated sequels. The aforementioned Aladdin 2, which is in development as well, will also work the same way.
Staying in the here and now though, The Lion King is available on Digital HD from October 11th and on Blu-ray/DVD from October 22nd.