The Lion King II Simba's Pride (Live Action Remake)

The Lion King II: Simba's Pride is a 2024 upcoming American drama film directed by Jon Favreau and produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Fairvew Entertainment. This film is a photorealistic computer-generated imagery remake of Disney’s 1998 direct-to-video sequel of the same name and the sequel to Disney’s The Lion King (2019). This film featuring the voice talents of Donald Glover, Beyoncé-Knowles Carter, James Earl Jones, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Billy Eichner, Seth Rogen, John Oliver, John Kani, Alfre Woodard, Faithe Herman, Halle Bailey, Miles Brown, Zac Elfron, Lana Parrilla, Marsai Martin, China Anne McClain, Jessie T. Usher, Eric André, Florence Kasumba and Keegan-Michael Key. It is the set to be released on July 5, 2024.

Plot
As the sun rises, the other animals arrive to witness Kiara's presentation. Kiara is the newborn daughter of Simba and Nala. The kingdom rejoices as Rafiki shows Kiara to the other animals gathering (He Lives in You). Timon and Pumbaa talk about how to raise Kiara, thinking that she is a boy but Rafiki corrects them telling them that is a girl. They get shocked and faint.

Later that day, Rafiki draws Kiara’s image on his tree. Mufasa’s spirit visits him and tells him about a birth of the son of Simba’s sworn enemy Zira, who lives in the Outlands, the termite-infested wasteland with a band of lionesses. Meanwhile, the lionesses loyal to Scar celebrating birth of Zira’s cub Kovu. Zira looks at the cub and longs for their return to the Pride Lands after Kovu comes of age. Zira’s other two children, Nuka and Vitani also join in the celebration, but Nuka becomes jealous of Kovu as he desires to be Scar’s heir. Later, Sarabi and Simba speak with each other at Pride Rock. They talk about how the kingdom must be governed and how to feed all the other animals. As they do so, a few of Zira’s cronies attack and Simba and Sarabi, with Nala joining them later, fend them off.

In the Outlands, Zira teaches Kovu how to hunt. Kovu is learning to catch the cricket. Zira tells him to kill it, but Kovu says that the cricket hasn’t hurt him so he sees no reason to kill it. Zira reminds Kovu of who he is and that their pride has no room for weakness.

Moving back to the Pride Lands, Simba and Kiara look at the savannah. Kiara notices a butterfly fluttering by and runs off to chase it, but Simba stops her. He reminds her of who she is and tells her to stay out of trouble. Nala comes in and tells Kiara to mind her father. Zazu also comes by and tells him of the Outsiders and the Hyenas, and Simba tells Kiara to stay away from the Outlands. Kiara asks why, but Simba simply says that she’ll understand it later. Kiara rushes off. Nala reminisces about her and Simba’s childhood, noticing how similar Kiara is to Simba when he was a cub. Nala assures Simba that Kiara will be fine, in spite of which Simba discreetly tells Timon and Pumbaa to follow Kiara as she plays. The duo do as Simba says.

Kiara chases a butterfly across the plains. She stumbles upon the rock while trying to catch a butterfly and sees the Outlands in the distance. Timon and Pumbaa frighten her and she falls into a pond nearby. Pumbaa jumps in the pond, looking for her. Timon and Pumbaa discuss babysitting as Kiara makes it out of the pond. They try to make sure she’s okay but she doesn’t like that they constantly keep following her. They try to get her to eat bugs but she finds them disgusting, and runs off towards the Outlands as Timon and Pumbaa argue about slimy and crunchy bugs. Kiara bumps into Kovu but the cubs get off on a rough start. Kovu tells Kiara about how he lives on his own, but as he steps on the rock they are confronted by some crocodiles. The crocs try to eat the cubs but they manage to outwit them and make it to safety. Kovu and Kiara bond and start playing together but Simba and Zira come in between them. Simba and the other lionesses, Pumbaa, Timon, Nala and Zira face off as Zira introduces Kovu to Simba. Simba orders them to come to the Pride Lands again and sends them away. Simba and his pride return to Pride Rock. On the way, Simba has a talk with Kiara and reminds her of who she is and that they are one (We Are One). When Rafiki tells him that it is what Mufasa would want, he becomes thoughtful. Rafiki goes back to her tree and tells Mufasa that whatever he plans to do, he can do it and that she trusts him.

Several years pass and Kovu grows up. Zira declares him ready to kill Simba and retake the throne. In the Pride Lands, Kiara goes for her first hunt. Simba tells Timon and Pumbaa to keep an eye on her. They follow her secretly.

Kiara stalks a herd of gazelles as Timon and Pumbaa follow her. However, Pumbaa grunts, frightening the gazelles and Kiara discovers them. She runs away to hunt somewhere else which is away from the Pride Lands as the dry thunderstorm starts. Meanwhile, Lightning strikes and starts a fire in the savannah. Zira and Kovu observe the action from atop a cliff and Kovu leaps off to rescue her. Back at Pride Rock, Simba, Zazu, Binti, and the lionesses see the fire in the distance and they rush off to rescue Kiara.

Kiara sees the fire rushing towards her and she tries to escape. She manages to climb up the cliff and Kovu finds her, exhausted and unconscious. He takes her and manages to evade the fire. Zazu finds them and he alerts Simba and the pride. Simba asks Kovu what he was doing but Rafiki tells Simba that it was Kovu who saved Kiara from the fire. Simba reluctantly agrees to let Kovu stay with them.

As the pride retires for the night, Kovu tries to get inside the cavern with the other lions but Simba blocks his path. Kiara speaks to Kovu before she goes to bed and gets him to agree to train her the next morning onwards. The whole scene is observed by Zira and Nuka from the hidden corner, after which they leave.

The next morning, Kovu sees Simba outside the cavern, preparing to go on a stroll. He is about to move for the kill but Kiara surprises him and they go away to the plains to train.

Kovu tries to teach Kiara how to hunt by teaching her how to focus and be stealthier. Timon and Pumbaa walk in and surprise them, interrupting their lesson. Timon asks Kovu to scare away the birds that have infested their feeding ground, which turns the training session into a game. The foursome run across the plains until they come face to face with a herd of rhinos. The rhinos give chase but the group manages to evade them. Kovu and Kiara decide to go somewhere else to train as Timon and Pumbaa head back to their feeding ground.

Kiara and Kovu run through the plains and Kovu teaches her how to stalk some wildebeest. However, they are confronted by the leopard. The leopard tries to kill Kovu but Kiara outwits the leopard, saving Kovu’s life. This act of hers makes an impression on Kovu. After their training session, Kovu and Kiara head back home as night falls.

Back at Pride Rock, Simba sees the nightmare, he is taken back to the moment where his father dies. Scar tells Simba to trust him as he slowly morphs to Kovu. Simba awakens suddenly and looks to the stars for guidance (Endless Night- reprise). Nala talks to Simba, who tells her that he fears for Kiara’s safety as Kovu is an Outsider, but Nala tells him that perhaps Kovu doesn’t necessarily want to hurt Kiara.

The next morning, Kiara and Kovu head out for another training session. Simba sees them going away and tells Timon and Pumbaa to follow them, which they reluctantly agree to do so. They keep their distance as Kiara and Kovu train and grow closer. The pair manage to remain hidden but grow tired as Kiara and Kovu continue to train. Kovu becomes accustomed to having fun and begins to defy his mother’s rules, and Kiara begins to trust Kovu more. Nuka and Vitani see what’s happening and report back to Zira. She is overjoyed that their plan is working all too well.

Later that evening, Kovu and Kiara stargaze. They have a heartfelt conversation where Kovu almost tells the truth to Kiara but as he prepares to leave Rafiki comes in and helps the two of them fall in love as she leads them in a musical show to “Upendi” (Upendi). Kovu and Kiara realise that they love each other and head back to Pride Rock where Simba allows Kovu to sleep in the cavern with the rest of the pride. Vitani watches from a corner nearby and is shocked when Kovu doesn’t make an attack on Simba. She heads back to the Outlands and tells everything to Zira. Zira is furious and decides to secretly ambush Simba herself, suspecting Kovu of betrayal.

The next morning, Simba decides to speak to Kovu for a while before he goes to train Kiara. Kiara is delighted and the two lions have a chat as they walk through the plains. Simba tells Kovu the true story of Scar and Kovu starts to question everything he’s learnt about Simba and Scar from Zira. However, Zira and a few Outsiders creep up on Simba and he blames Kovu for inviting them. Kovu denies any wrongdoing and he tries to fight them off but Vitani knocks him unconscious. The Outsiders chase Simba down the middle of the gorge, and Simba tries to climb up a pile of logs. As Simba struggles to reach the top, Nuka attempts to kill Simba but Simba makes logs fall on Nuka, killing him in the process. Kovu arrives to find Zira crying over Nuka's death. She blames Kovu for Nuka’s death by viciously swiping him in the face with her claws in rage but Kovu denies any wrongdoing and defies his mother. Kovu runs off and Zira decides to mount the final and fatal attack on Pride Rock before she continues to cry.

Meanwhile, Nala, Sarabi, Timon and Pumbaa find the injured Simba and take him back to Pride Rock. Zazu brings in the other animals to Pride Rock as Simba prepares to pronounce judgement on Kovu. Kiara tries to intercede on Kovu’s behalf but Simba silences her and exiles Kovu (Not One of Us). Kiara tries to plead with Simba but he refuses to let Kovu come back. Simba orders the strict watch on Kiara, which makes Mufasa very angry at Kiara over her defence. Zazu tries to make peace between them all by reminding them that they mustn’t be divided over this matter. Kiara runs off crying to find Kovu.

Kiara runs through the plains sobbing in search of Kovu and finds him wandering in the desert. They confess their love for each other (Love Will Find a Way). Kovu tells Kiara the truth, and she finds it difficult to accept but decides to forgive him anyway and gives him a chance to prove himself by asking him to join her in reuniting their divided pride after hearing Mufasa's words about obligation to her Pride. The couple run off to Pride Rock to talk things out with Simba.

As the sun sets, Zira, Shenzi, Kamari, Azizi, and the Outsiders head to the gorge to face Simba. Zazu alerts Simba of the impending attack and make it to the gorge to face the Outsiders and the hyenas. The Pridelanders and Outsiders fight hard. As they fight comes to the heat, Simba and Zira face off in the duel. Just as Zira is about to deliver the killing stroke to Simba, Kiara and Kovu rush in between them. Kovu openly defies his mother and Kiara gets Simba to acknowledge that they are one. Simba embraces his daughter. Zira orders Vitani to attack but she refuses. She joins Simba’s pride. Zira threatens to kill her, which shocks and angers the Outsiders, and they join Simba’s pride as well. Zira goes crazy at the loss of her son and pride and an angry Kiara knocks her into the rushing waters below with a swipe of her paw. Kovu knocks the hyenas over and they pass out. Simba officially welcomes Kovu and the Outsiders back into their pride, and they all return to Pride Rock as Mufasa congratulates his son and Rafiki blesses the union of Kiara and Kovu (Finale/We Are One Reprise).

Cast

 * Donald Glover as Simba
 * Beyonce Knowles Carter as Nala
 * Eden Riegel as Baby Kiara
 * Abby Ryder Fortson as Young Kiara
 * Rihanna as Kiara
 * Bette Midler as Zira
 * Hank Azaria as Nuka
 * Alfre Woodard as Sarabi
 * August Maturo as Young Kovu
 * Jason Marsden as Kovu
 * Juliet Donenfeld as Young Vitani
 * Awkwafina as Vitani
 * Billy Eichner as Timon
 * Seth Rogen as Pumbaa
 * John Oliver as Zazu
 * John Kani as Rafiki
 * James Earl Jones as Mufasa
 * Chiwetel Ejiofor as Scar
 * Florence Kasumba as Shenzi
 * Keegan-Michael Key as Kamari
 * Eric Andre as Azizi