The Lion King Simba is given some valuable perspective from his childhood friend, Nala, and his shaman, Rafiki, before returning to challenge Scar to end his tyranny and take his place in the Circle of Life as the rightful King. Development of "The Lion King" began in 1988 during a meeting between Jeffrey Katzenberg, Roy E. Disney, and Peter Schneider while promoting "Oliver & Company" in Europe. Thomas Disch wrote a film treatment, and Woolverton developed the first scripts, while George Scribner was signed on as director, being later joined by Allers. Production began in 1991 concurrently with "Pocahontas", which wound up attracting
Simba: King of the Beasts Simba: King of the Beasts Simba: The King of the Beasts is a 1928 American black-and-white silent documentary film, directed by Martin and Osa Johnson, which features the couple's four-year expedition to track the lion across Kenyan veld to his lair. The film, which went on nationwide general release on , was premiered at the Earl Caroll Theatre in New York on . Footage for the film was shot from 1924 to 1927, during the couple's second and longest trip to Africa, when spent much of their time in northern Kenya by a lake they dubbed Paradise, at Mount Marsabit.