I am pretty sure everyone like me has watched ‘The Lion King’ a million times, it was not only everyone’s favorite childhood movie but also a masterpiece that brought everyone together. Trying to connect with every character and sharing our collective hatred for Scar has taught us so many things. Today, we bring you 14 facts that will not only blow your minds away but also give a deeper meaning to our favorite movie.

As epic as it was, many people did not like the remake, however, several others absolutely adored seeing their favorite character Simba and Scar having their infamous face-off at the end of the movie. But today, we are going to talk about the facts, they will not only make you feel flabbergasted but also make you want to keep reading, it really is that shocking and amazing.

We as the readers were also very indulged when we first read them all, these facts will not only make you think twice but also nod in acceptance of how true they are. Don’t worry, we got you! Let us all enjoy reading these facts together and make the best of it!

Scar or Scarface?

Did you notice that the scars on Tony Montana’s face played by Al Pacino in the Scarface, are almost the same as the scar on Scar?

There were several titles that were at first given a thought like King of the Kalahari, King of the Beasts, and King of the Jungle, which actually got finalized, however, the writers later realized that the lions did not live in a jungle which is why The Lion King was selected. It is also been discussed and even said that the shirt with the original name The King of the Jungle, is still being sold at Disney land.

The birth of Simba!

At first, the idea of ​​the cartoon was very different. George Scribner would be the director of the film: he wanted to make a documentary-like National Geographic, which would be animated. When the team decided to make a musical, Scribner abandoned the project.

Originally, the plot was going to be very different. Pumba and Timon were Simba’s childhood friends, while Simba was going to grow up to be really lethargic and anti-social. Moreover, the story was going to revolve around a war between the lions and the baboons. Shocker right?

Besties all the way!

The story was also inspired by Shakespeare’s Hamlet and biblical references about Moses and Joseph. Do you remember the scene where Scar is holding a skull? Well, that’s sort of a reference to a story about The Prince of Denmark.

The scene that absolutely terrified us!

Can you believe that a majority of people thought that The Lion King would not be a successful movie? Many colleagues were unsure whether the storyline about a cub accused of murdering his father in the combination of Elton John’s song would resonate with the audience. Brenda Chapman refused to cooperate on the film because “the plot wasn’t good enough,” and screenwriter Barney Mattison remarked, “I don’t know who’s going to watch it.”

Hakuna ma Tata!

The Lion King was regarded as a side project, and everyone had more faith in Pocahontas. These negative assumptions, however, would not need to be acknowledged: The Lion King was a part of the Disney cartoon golden age in the early 1990s, and it became one of the most successful animations in history. Yes, compare the box office receipts of The Lion King with Pocahontas: $968 million versus $346 million.

There were several characters who they didn’t put in the final cut. For instance, Mheetu, Nala’s sibling whom Simba had to rescue, was eliminated from the final version. The clever fox Bhati, the lizard Iggy, and the meerkat Tesma all vanished.

The perfect portrait!

As weird as it sounds, all these characters have a deeper meaning to their names. Simba means “lion,” Rafiki means “friend,” Pumbaa means “fool,” Banzai means “hiding,” Shenzi means “uncivilized,” and Mufasa was the last king of the people who lived in Kenya before British colonialism.

Animators flew to Kenya to study the local nature in order to create the African flora and animals. The stunning vistas of Kenya National Park have been visualized thanks to millions of sketches. To make the characters’ behavioral patterns and traits more realistic and natural, the cartoon’s designers engaged wildlife experts. By the way, it was in Africa that they first heard the renowned “Hakuna-Matata.”

We’re all reminded of the infamous adventure just upon seeing this picture!

Another fascinating feature of the ancestors’ rock is that it resembles the mouth of a large animal that has opened up toward the sky. What do you believe it is: a crocodile, a lion, or a bear?

All of the melodies in the animation were written by Elton John and Tim Rice. Although there were many songs, only five were featured in the final edition. The iconic Can You Feel the Love Tonight was the most difficult to write: Tim Rice wrote roughly 15 different versions of the song over several years, but only the original was picked. Then there was the first sentence, “Can you feel the love tonight?” They weren’t sure about it. In a plot about parents and children, it seemed strange. However, the song was left untouched, millions of people enjoyed it, and the authors were awarded an Academy Award.

Who can hear the theme song of the Lion King just upon seeing this picture?

The authors originally intended for Timon and Pumbaa to sing a song about eating bugs, but they altered their ideas. They quickly remembered the word “Hakuna-Matata,” which they had learned in Africa. Tim then remarked that it reminded him of the Cinderella song Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo. As a result, the well-known “Hakuna-Matata” song was born.

Behold-The King and Scar!

The movie’s director and producer abruptly admitted that Mufasa and Scar were not genetic brothers 23 years after the picture’s release! They were rival lions living in one pride, according to the creators. They referred to one other as brothers although they were not related. Scar appears to be less vicious after hearing this news, yet the spectacle in the canyon will always be heartbreaking.

We absolutely loved the facts, they were not only really fun to read but also made me want to rewatch the entire film, animated and live-action again. It is just astonishing to see how much effect it has on people even now. I can not possibly imagine not having the infamous songs in the musical The Lion King not being a musical, because of how well it all meshes up together. These facts not only made this movie sound a thousand times better but also made me want to rewatch it without the deleted characters to see how it would have turned out to be. The most significant part that truly changes the whole animated musical is the plotline, I can not possibly imagine what it would be like to watch the lions fight baboons and Simba being lazy. It is truly amazing to see how the creators and the writers (with quite a lot of objections) presented this movie and it turned out to be a blockbuster.

Let us know what you thought about these facts in the comment section below!