The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride is a 1998 American animated direct-to-video romantic musical drama film. It is the sequel to Disney’s 1994 animated feature film, The Lion King, with its plot influenced by William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, and the second installment in The Lion King trilogy. According to director Darrell Rooney, the final draft gradually became a variation of Romeo and Juliet.
Produced by Walt Disney Video Premiere and animated by Walt Disney Animation Australia and released on October 27, 1998, the film centers on Simba and Nala’s daughter Kiara, who falls in love with Kovu, a male rogue lion from a banished pride that was once loyal to Simba’s evil uncle, Scar. Separated by Simba’s prejudice against the banished pride and a vindictive plot planned by Kovu’s mother Zira, Kiara and Kovu struggle to unite their estranged prides and be together.
Most of the original cast returned to their roles from the first film with a few exceptions. Rowan Atkinson, who voiced Zazu in the first film, was replaced by Edward Hibbert for both this film and The Lion King 1½. Jeremy Irons, who voiced Scar in the first film, was replaced by Jim Cummings, who briefly provided his singing voice in the first film.
