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The Lion King II: Simba's Pride
The original VHS cover of the film
Directed by	Darrell Rooney
Produced by	Jeannine Roussel
Written by	Flip Kobler Cindy Marcus
Starring	Matthew Broderick Neve Campbell Jason Marsden Suzanne Pleshette Nathan Lane Ernie Sabella Robert Guillaume Moira Kelly Andy Dick Jennifer Lien
Music by	Nick Glennie-Smith Tina Turner
Editing by	Peter Lonsdale
Distributed by	Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Release date(s)	October 27, 1998
Running time	81 min
Country	USA
Language	English
Preceded by	The Lion King (1994)
Followed by	The Lion King 1½ (2004)
IMDb profile

The Lion King II: Simba's Pride (later retitled The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride) is a direct-to-video movie released by the Walt Disney Company on October 27, 1998 as a sequel to The Lion King and was re-released as a special-edition DVD (which altered the original title's "II" into "2") on August 31, 2004. As of September 30, 2005, it is the highest grossing direct-to-video animated feature release of all time, with gross sales exceeding $300 million USD.^{[citation needed]}

In 1998, Disney believed that Simba's Pride would be so popular that it shipped 15 million copies to stores for the October 27 release date.^[1] Disney sold 3.5 million copies in three days. Thirteen million copies were sold while it was still in print in the late 90s.^[2]

This movie was "not rated" until the 2-disc Special Edition was released. It was then given a G rating by the MPAA.

While the original film's plot seems to have been based on the Shakespeare play Hamlet, this sequel's plot is similar to another Shakespeare play, Romeo and Juliet.^[3]

The film's story begins where the previous film ended: The presentation of Simba and Nala's new cub Kiara. Kiara, headstrong and curious, disobeys her father and triggers a conflict that seemingly did not end with the previous film.

King Simba and Queen Nala have a daughter named Kiara, who is presented by Rafiki to a gathering of animals below. When Kiara is older, she runs off to play and encounters Kovu, a cub from a pride of lions exiled by Simba for remaining loyal to Scar. After nearly being eaten by crocodiles, the two quickly become friends, but as they begin to play, Simba and Zira appear. Zira, Kovu's mother, is desperate to avenge Scar's death, and so she trains Kovu to be an assassin. Her plan is to have Kovu befriend Kiara so that he can get close enough to Simba to kill him. Meanwhile, Kiara expresses her disinterest in becoming queen, to which Simba states "we are one."

When Kovu and Kiara are adults, Zira undertakes an elaborate plan involving setting the Pride Lands ablaze while Kiara is out on her first hunt. Kovu saves Kiara from the ensuing fire and asks to join Simba's pride, stating that he is a rogue, separate from the other Outsiders. Simba allows him to join the pride as Mufasa's law states that he is in debt to Kovu, as Kovu has saved his daughter's life. Kiara introduces the otherwise stone-faced Kovu to the concept of fun while Rafiki's matchmaking plans take effect and the two begin to fall in love. It is Kovu's love for Kiara that keeps him from assassinating Simba as he was sent to the Pride Lands to do.

Kovu eventually resolves to confess his true intentions to Kiara, but before he can do so Simba takes him aside for a private conversation. While out walking the Outlanders ambush Simba and injure him. Kovu's older brother, Nuka, dies in an attempt to kill Simba. Zira blames Nuka's death on Kovu and slashes him across the face, scarring Kovu in an identical manner to Scar's. Kovu defies his mother for the first time and runs away, only to be blamed for the Outlanders' ambush and exiled from the Pride Lands. Kiara, distraught, secretly leaves Pride Rock to find him and the two are reunited. When Kovu and Kiara get reunited Zira and her pride comes to take over. In the end Kiara proved a point leaving Zira alone to fight. Zira tries to kill Kiara, but Kiara offers to help her. Zira is to proud to take her paw so, she drowns. Then, all the lions united and Kiara, Kovu, Simba, and Nala Roar on Pride Rock, thus continuing the Circle of Life.

• Simba, voiced by Matthew Broderick, is the reigning king of the Pride Lands and Kiara's father. He is highly concerned for his daughter's welfare. His singing voice is provided by Cam Clarke.
• Nala, voiced by Moira Kelly Is the queen of the Pride Lands as Simba's mate and is the mother of Kiara.
• Kiara, voiced by Michelle Horn as a cub and Neve Campbell as an adult, is princess of the Pride Lands and Simba and Nala's daughter. Headstrong and determined, she often ignores her father's advice.
• Kovu, voiced by Ryan O'Donohue as a cub and Jason Marsden as an adult, is the lion chosen by Scar to be king after Scar's death, but after Scar is killed in the first movie Zira trains him to avenge Scar's death and take back the throne of the Pride Lands.His singing voice is provided by Gene Miller and Kenny Lattimore (as an adult).
• Zira, voiced by Suzanne Pleshette, is the antagonist of the film. Both she and a small pride of lionesses were exiled by Simba as they still followed Scar. Her loyalty being the fiercest to Scar, she trains Kovu in the hope that he will one day take back the throne from Simba.
• Timon and Pumbaa, voiced by Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella respectively, are Simba's best friends. They serve as babysitters for Kiara.
• Rafiki, voiced by Robert Guillaume, is the wise shaman mandrill of the Pride Lands. He attempts to rekindle Kovu and Kiara's love after instructions from Mufasa.
• Nuka, voiced by Andy Dick, is Zira's son. He feels wholly inadequate compared to Kovu and feels that he should be "the chosen one."
• Vitani, voiced by Lacey Chabert and Jennifer Lien as a cub and adult respectively, is Zira's daughter.
• Zazu, voiced by Edward Hibbert, is the king's advisor and majordomo.
• Mufasa, voiced by James Earl Jones, is Simba's father who was killed by Scar in the first film. However, he still appears in the film as a ghost in the sky and in Simba's nightmare.In Simba's nightmare Mufasa slipped while Simba tries to help him. He also communicates non-verbally with his old friend, Rafiki.

Screenshots showing the differences between the two DVD releases. Top: Original limited issue release. Bottom: Special Edition release.

The Lion King II: Simba's Pride was first released on VHS in the United States on October 27, 1998.

It was first released on DVD as a limited issue on November 23, 1999 and placed into moratorium on January 19th, 2000. It was not released again on DVD until August 31, 2004, where it was a 2-disc special edition. It went into moratorium in January 2005.

On its initial release, The Lion King II: Simba's Pride was released in 1:33:1. For the special edition, this was changed to 1:66:1.

Another major change to the special edition release was the quality of the image. It was lightened considerably and colors appeared brighter and slightly less saturated. Also, a small change in animation was present. As Kovu attempts to distract the crocodiles attacking both him and Kiara, he falls into the water and submerges a short time later. In the original release of the film, he yells open-mouthed as a crocodile swims towards him. In the special edition, he does not open his mouth as wide and turns his head sharply to face Kiara.^[4]

"He lives in You" is a original song by Lebo M and his African choir. This song represents Kiara's birth.

"We are One" Following Kiara's encounter with Kovu and the Outsiders, which puts herself in danger, Simba explains The Circle of Life and how important she is to the pride.

"My Lullaby" Zira's lullaby to Kovu, which outlines her plot for him to kill Simba and how proud it would make her.

"Upendi" Rafiki's song to Kiara and Kovu about love and happiness. Sung by Rafiki and his safari friends.

"One of Us" Sung following Kovu being permanently banished by Simba for supposed betrayal in an attempt to kill him.

"Love will Find a Way" Kiara and Kovu's first encounter following Kovu's banishment, where they both realize that they are in love with each other. Guest starring Kenny Lattimore as Kovu and Heather Headley as Kiara.

The CD cover for Return to Pride Rock

This image is a candidate for speedy deletion. It will be deleted after Monday, 10 December 2007.

An audio CD entitled Return to Pride Rock: Songs Inspired by Disney's The Lion King II: Simba's Pride was released on September 8, 1998. Although not promoted as a soundtrack to the film, it contained all the songs from the film and some additional songs inspired by it by Lebo M. Tina Turner recorded a version of He Lives in You for the film.

1. "He Lives in You" - Lebo M
2. "We are One" - Marty Panzer, Jack Feldman, Tom Snow, Chorus - (sample (help·info))
3. "Upendi" - Robert Guillaume, Liz Callaway, Gene Miller, Ladysmith Black Mambazo - (sample (help·info))
4. "One of Us" - Chorus
5. "My Lullaby" - Suzanne Pleshette, Crysta Macalush, Andy Dick, Chorus
6. "Love Will Find a Way" - Liz Callaway, Gene Miller, Chorus
7. "We are One" - Angelique Kidjo - (sample (help·info))
8. "She Believes in You"* - Lebo M
9. "Song for the Children"* - Lebo M
10. "I Want to See the Moon"* - Lebo M featuring Sharon Dee
11. "The Lion Sleeps Tonight"* - Lebo M
12. "Love Will Find a Way (End Title)" - Kenny Lattimore, Heather Headley

(A * indicates songs inspired by the film)

On August 31, 2004, Disney released an "enhanced soundtrack" to coincide with the release of the film's 2-Disc Special Edition DVD. However, the CD only contains the songs featured in the film, without any of the inspired songs in Return to Pride Rock.

1. ^ http://movies2.nytimes.com/gst/movies/movie.html?v_id=173545
2. ^ http://www.lycos.com/info/disney--miscellaneous.html
3. ^ http://www.comingsoon.net/news/dvdreviewsnews.php?id=6179
4. ^ http://www.lionking.org/~vakasi/vhsdvd.html

• "The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride" by Scott Chitwood, "ComingSoon.net," n.d., retrieved August 27, 2006.
• "Second Tramp cruises past Mermaid sequel" by Chris Gennusa, "Video Business Online", March 6, 2001, retrieved August 26, 2006.
• "Lion King II: Simba's Pride" "Lion King II: Simba's Pride" by Bhob Stewart, "All Movie Guide", retrieved August 26, 2006.
• "Movie Details" Lion King II: Simba's Pride by Bhob Stewart, "The New York Times", retrieved August 25, 2006.

• The Lion King II: Simba's Pride at the Internet Movie Database