How to Watch Every ‘Lion King’ Movie in Order

In 1994, Disney’s animated film The Lion King launched a huge franchise that audiences still can’t get enough of, even today. After three decades of sequels, spin-offs, and remakes, fans young and old continue gravitating toward the original, compelling narrative about family, sacrifice, individual responsibility, and finding one’s purpose through redemption. With the recent theatrical release of the live-action prequel, Mufasa: The Lion King, Disney’s well-loved story expands — giving us a fresh look at familiar characters.

The film follows Mufasa and Scar’s early life, providing fans with context regarding their eventual rivalry. This epic addition has also brought some viewers back through the franchise’s catalog, revisiting past favorites and discovering new content (there’s plenty to choose from). With several direct sequels to the classic that started it all, television specials, and the latest live-action movies, it’s hard to know where to start. Here’s a breakdown of each title in The Lion King franchise since its inception, their chronological and release orders, as well as advice on the best way to watch them all.

How to Watch Every ‘Lion King’ Movie in Release Order

The iconic feline franchise began in 1994 with The Lion King. The story immediately resonated with audiences through its visually captivating animation, hit-filled soundtrack, powerful voice-acting, and relatable exploration of what it truly means to be a leader. At the end of the film, audiences celebrate alongside its protagonist Simba. After years of running from his past, he returns home, avenges his father’s death, and reclaims his rightful place as King of the Pride Lands. The final shots show Simba and Nala, now happy with a child of their own — a satisfying, ouroboric denouement for the circle of their lives.

Four years later, Pride Rock’s princess, Kiara, gets a sequel of her own. The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride follows Kiara’s journey as she falls for Kovu, an exiled lion who was supposed to be Scar’s successor. Disney then decided to add to their franchise without continuing the story linearly. Thus, in 2004, they released a midquel, The Lion King 1½, which centers on Timon and Pumbaa’s escapades set during the events of The Lion King.

Subsequently, the last entries into the franchise that use the original animation style were introduced over a decade later through The Lion Guard series. It consists of three films: Return of the Roar (2015), The Rise of Scar (2017), and Battle for the Pride Lands (2019). In 2019, Disney then released a photorealistic remake of the original film. Five years later, the franchise has come to an end (so far) with its most recent live-action title, Mufasa: The Lion King, which brings audiences back in time to tell the backstory of Mufasa and Scar’s future conflict.

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Movie	Year of Release
The Lion King	1994
The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride	1998
The Lion King 1½	2004
Return of the Roar	2015
The Rise of Scar	2017
Battle for the Pride Lands	2019
The Lion King [Live Action]	2019
Mufasa: The Lion King	2024

How to Watch All the Films Chronologically

The Animated Lion King Movies

The chronological order of the animated films in The Lion King franchise doesn’t deviate too much from their release order. The place to start is definitely with the original 1994 movie. Simba’s childhood journey from traumatized runaway cat to King of the Pride Lands in The Lion King is the perfect jumping off point for the later releases.

The only major change-up would be to move The Lion King 1½ to the second watch slot, ahead of its predated sequel, The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride. Although the latter comes directly after the original movie in the timeline, the events within The Lion King 1½ occur at the same time as the 1994 film. As for The Lion Guard film series, they should be watched afterward in their release order.

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The Live-Action Lion King Movies

Because 2024’s Mufasa: The Lion King acts as a prequel to the 2019 live-action remake, it should be viewed first. By swapping the order, fans can learn about the circumstances behind Mufasa and Scar’s bad blood leading up to Simba’s transformative journey from the original. However, since the entire film is structured around Rafiki telling Simba and Nala’s daughter Kiara the story of Mufasa, it could also be watched after its predecessor — acting as both a prequel and a sequel.

Additionally, if anyone wants to mix the live-action movies with the animated ones, Mufasa: The Lion King could either be watched before anything else, or following the original and the 2019 remake. Ultimately, it depends on viewer preference.

Order	Movie	Year of Release
1	Mufasa: The Lion King	2024
2	The Lion King	1994
2	The Lion King [Live Action]	2019
3	The Lion King 1½	2004
4	The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride	1998
5	Return of the Roar	2015
6	The Rise of Scar	2017
7	Battle for the Pride Lands	2019

The Best Way to Watch

Although it can be fun to try and piece together a franchise chronologically rather than based on their release dates, it’s much less confusing to stick with the latter when it comes to The Lion King. A lot of the films include time jumps that make some of the plots overlap — resulting in a narrative that might be hard to follow.

For example, The Lion King 1½ takes place at the same time as The Lion King, and Mufasa: The Lion King tells its main story through a flashback before the original, but its frame is set after it. To watch it in a way that makes the most sense, just follow their release order. Plus, by doing so, fans can watch the evolution of the story over time — from the animated graphics of 1994 to the unreal, realistic CGI of today.