History WhatCouldHaveBeen / TheLionKing

* Kovu was originally intended to be voiced by Andy Dick (Nuka's voice).

** Creator/JamesCaan, [[Film/TheGodfather Robert Duvall]], Creator/MalcolmMcDowell, Creator/PatrickStewart, and Creator/RayLiotta were also considered for Scar before the casting of Creator/JeremyIrons.
* [[Film/{{Waterloo}} Virginia McKenna]], Creator/HelenMirren and Creator/VanessaRedgrave were considered for the role of Sarabi before [[Film/ComingToAmerica Madge Sinclair]] was cast.
* Creator/JohnCleese, Creator/TerryGilliam, Creator/EricIdle, Creator/TerryJones, Creator/MichaelPalin, [[Film/FourWeddingsAndAFuneral Simon Callow]], [[Series/{{Blackadder}} Chris Barrie]], [[Series/TheGoodies Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graeme Garden, Bill Oddie]], Creator/DavidJason, Creator/PeterCook, Creator/DudleyMoore, Creator/SpikeMilligan, [[Series/TheTwoRonnies Ronnie Barker]], and [[Series/TheTwoRonnies Ronnie Corbett]] were considered for the part of Zazu before the casting of Creator/RowanAtkinson.

!!''Disney/TheLionKing''

!!''Disney/TheLionKingIISimbasPride''

!!''Disney/TheLionKingOneAndAHalf''

* Mufasa's stint as Rafiki's SpiritAdvisor was originally planned to be much more obvious, with the former Lion King's ghost actively speaking to the shaman. Wisely realizing this might come across as {{Narm unintentionally hilarious}}, or at least a breaking of the WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief, the directors decided to instead have all interactions between Rafiki and Mufasa symbolized by the blowing of the wind. This fact is later emphasized when the wind blows around Simba, just before he listens to Kiara and accepts the Outlanders back, and explains why he looks so happy and on the verge of tears at the end, even before he hears Mufasa say [[SoProudOfYou "Well done, my son."]]

* Mufasa's stint as Rafiki's SpiritAdvisor was originally planned to be much more obvious, with the former Lion King's ghost actively speaking to the shaman. Wisely realizing this might come across as unintentionally hilarious, or at least a breaking of the WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief, the directors decided to instead have all interactions between Rafiki and Mufasa symbolized by the blowing of the wind. This fact is later emphasized when the wind blows around Simba, just before he listens to Kiara and accepts the Outlanders back, and explains why he looks so happy and on the verge of tears at the end, even before he hears Mufasa say [[SoProudOfYou "Well done, my son."]]

* Kovu originally had slicker mane and brighter green eyes. This was changed when it was decided not to make him Scar's biological son.

* Kiara was originally named Shani. Other potential names were Chaka an Aisha.

* Kiara was originally named Shani. She had a twin brother named Chaka who was scrapped. Kovu's original name was Nunka. Vitani's original name was Shetani.
* Kovu was originally Scar's biological cub with Zira instead of his adopted successor. This was changed when they realized this made him and Kiara KissingCousins.[[note]]This seems to have been a rather late change in the script, as several languages (Dutch, for example) still confirm Kovu to be Scar’s biological son.[[/note]]

* Tim Rice originally wanted Creator/RikMayall and Creator/AdrianEdmondson to voice either Timon and Pumbaa or the hyeneas, as he was big fan of ''Series/{{Bottom}}''. They were both considered to voice Zazu.

* Creator/TimCurry was initially offered the part of Scar, but turned it down due to scheduling commitments to ''Film/HomeAlone2LostInNewYork''. ** Creator/JamesCaan, [[Film/TheGodfather Robert Duvall]], Creator/MalcolmMcDowell, Creator/PatrickStewart, and Creator/RayLiotta were also considered for Scar before the casting of Creator/JeremyIrons.

* Creator/JohnCleese, Creator/TerryGilliam, Creator/EricIdle, Creator/TerryJones, Creator/MichaelPalin, [[Film/FourWeddingsAndAFuneral Simon Callow]], [[Series/{{Blackadder}} Chris Barrie]], [[Series/TheGoodies Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graeme Garden, Bill Oddie]], Creator/DavidJason, Creator/PeterCook, Creator/DudleyMoore, Creator/SpikeMilligan, [[Series/TheTwoRonnies Ronnie Barker]], Barker and [[Series/TheTwoRonnies Ronnie Corbett]] were considered for the part of Zazu before the casting of Creator/RowanAtkinson.

* Creator/TimCurry was initially offered the part of Scar, but turned it down due to scheduling commitments to ''[[Film/HomeAlone Home Alone 2: Lost in New York]]''.
** ''Film/HomeAlone2LostInNewYork''. Creator/JamesCaan, [[Film/TheGodfather Robert Duvall]], Creator/MalcolmMcDowell, Creator/PatrickStewart, and Creator/RayLiotta were also considered for Scar before the casting of Creator/JeremyIrons.

* Creator/JoePesci was approached for the role of Banzai, either Banzai or Timon, but turned down the offer due to scheduling conflicts with ''Film/ABronxTale''.

* Creator/TimCurry was initially offered the part of Scar, but turned it down due to scheduling commitments to ''Film/HomeAlone2LostInNewYork''
** Creator/JamesCaan, [[Film/TheGodfather Robert Duvall]], Creator/MalcolmMcDowell, Creator/PatrickStewart, and Creator/RayLiotta were also considered for Scar before the casting of Creator/JeremyIrons.

* Creator/TimCurry was initially offered the part of Scar, but turned it down due to scheduling commitments to ''Film/HomeAlone2LostInNewYork''. ** Creator/JamesCaan, [[Film/TheGodfather Robert Duvall]], Creator/MalcolmMcDowell, Creator/PatrickStewart, and Creator/RayLiotta were also considered for Scar before the casting of Creator/JeremyIrons.

* Creator/TimCurry was initially offered the part of Scar, but turned it down due to scheduling commitments to ''[[Film/HomeAlone Home Alone 2: Lost in New York]]''.
** ''Film/HomeAlone2LostInNewYork''. Creator/JamesCaan, [[Film/TheGodfather Robert Duvall]], Creator/MalcolmMcDowell, Creator/PatrickStewart, and Creator/RayLiotta were also considered for Scar before the casting of Creator/JeremyIrons.

* Creator/TimCurry was initially offered the part of Scar, but turned it down due to scheduling commitments to ''Film/HomeAlone2LostInNewYork''
** Creator/JamesCaan, Creator/MalcolmMcDowell, Creator/PatrickStewart, and Creator/RayLiotta were also considered before the casting of Creator/JeremyIrons.
* Creator/HelenMirren and Creator/VanessaRedgrave were considered for the role of Sarabi before [[Film/ComingToAmerica Madge Sinclair]] was cast.
* Creator/JohnCleese, Creator/TerryGilliam, Creator/EricIdle, Creator/TerryJones, Creator/MichaelPalin, [[Series/TheGoodies Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graeme Garden, Bill Oddie]], Creator/DavidJason, Creator/PeterCook, Creator/DudleyMoore, Creator/SpikeMilligan, [[Series/TheTwoRonnies Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett]] were considered for the part of Zazu before the casting of Creator/RowanAtkinson.
* Creator/JoePesci was approached for either Banzai or Timon, but turned down the offer due to scheduling conflicts with ''Film/ABronxTale''.

* Creator/TimCurry was initially offered the part of Scar, but turned it down due to scheduling commitments to ''Film/HomeAlone2LostInNewYork''. ** Creator/JamesCaan, Creator/MalcolmMcDowell, Creator/PatrickStewart, and Creator/RayLiotta were also considered before the casting of Creator/JeremyIrons.

* Creator/TimCurry was initially offered the part of Scar, but turned it down due to scheduling commitments to ''Film/HomeAlone2LostInNewYork''. Creator/JamesCaan, Creator/MalcolmMcDowell, Creator/PatrickStewart, and Creator/RayLiotta were also considered before the casting of Creator/JeremyIrons.

* Music/TimRice originally wanted Creator/RikMayall and Creator/AdrianEdmondson to voice either Timon and Pumba or the hyeneas, as he was big fan of ''Series/{{Bottom}}''. They were both considered to voice Zazu.

* Music/TimRice originally wanted Creator/RikMayall and Creator/AdrianEdmonson to voice either Timon and Pumba or the hyeneas, as he was big fan of ''Series/{{Bottom}}''. They were both considered to voice Zazu.

* Creator/TimCurry was initially offered the part of Scar, but turned it down due to scheduling commitments to ''[[Film/HomeAlone Home Alone 2: Lost in New York]]''.
** Creator/JamesCaan, [[Film/TheGodfather Robert Duvall]], Creator/MalcolmMcDowell, Creator/PatrickStewart, and Creator/RayLiotta were also considered for Scar before the casting of Creator/JeremyIrons.
* [[Film/{{Waterloo}} Virginia McKenna]], Creator/HelenMirren and Creator/VanessaRedgrave were considered for the role of Sarabi before [[Film/ComingToAmerica Madge Sinclair]] was cast.
* Creator/JohnCleese, Creator/TerryGilliam, Creator/EricIdle, Creator/TerryJones, Creator/MichaelPalin, [[Film/FourWeddingsAndAFuneral Simon Callow]], [[Series/{{Blackadder}} Chris Barrie]], [[Series/TheGoodies Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graeme Garden, Bill Oddie]], Creator/DavidJason, Creator/PeterCook, Creator/DudleyMoore, Creator/SpikeMilligan, [[Series/TheTwoRonnies Ronnie Barker]], and [[Series/TheTwoRonnies Ronnie Corbett]] were considered for the part of Zazu before the casting of Creator/RowanAtkinson.
* Creator/JoePesci was approached for the role of Banzai, but turned down the offer due to scheduling conflicts with ''Film/ABronxTale''.

* The story was originally known as "King of the Jungle" and the plot was far DarkerAndEdgier. It had a [[http://lionking.wikia.com/wiki/King_of_the_Jungle few variations]]. In early scripts the Pridelanders were called the Ndona pride. Scar was a rogue in at least one draft, but it was decided to make him Mufasa's brother as it made the film emotionally investing. One script was to be themed around a war between two prides of lions. Scar was the leader of the "Mbala" pride, with Mufasa leading the "Ndona" pride. There was also a group of hyenas, led by Banagi (who later became Shenzi), who would have served as secondary antagonists. Kwashi was a baboon similar to Rafiki, though not as wacky. Noticeably it was much more violent and [[BrotherSisterIncest incest filled]] than the final product (a similar concept to this, albeit LighterAndSofter, was in the first DirectToVideo movie).
** Other potential titles were "King of the Beasts" and "King of the Kalahari". Speaking of "King of the Kalahari", it was going to be about a battle between lions and baboons, where Scar was a baboon and Rafiki was a cheetah.

* The [=DVDs=] have a couple of scrapped songs:
** Mufasa was to have an upbeat song early in the film called "To Be King" in which he sang about his responsibilities as king, with Zazu pumping up the perks of being king. It was cut because it was deemed out-of-character for the dignified Mufasa. It was partially revisited for ''The Lion Guard''.
** Sarabi had a lullaby called "The Lion In The Moon". She sang it to Simba after he came home from the elephant graveyard afraid.
** There was an unused DarkReprise of "Be Prepared" sung after Scar tells the pride of Mufasa's death.
** "Warthog Rhapsody", which was the original Hakuna Matata and was reworked for the midquel.
** A "work in progress" trailer that was attached to the beginning of Disney's ''Disney/TheFoxAndTheHound'' Walt Disney Classics video had a snippet of a different version of "Can You Feel The Love Tonight", which the ''Lion King'' Deluxe Laserdisc included in its entirety. Unfortunately, only a few of these songs made it onto the extra features of the Platinum Edition DVD and the Diamond Edition Blu-ray/DVD combo pack. KeepCirculatingTheTapes indeed.
** Originally, "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" was going to be about how Timon and Pumbaa felt about Simba and Nala's blossoming relationship. The final version of the song only touches on this very briefly at the beginning and end. Elton John originally wrote the song to be sung by Simba and Nala, and was mortified when he learned Timon and Pumbaa would be singing it - and as director Rob Minkoff affirmed through a [[WebVideo/HonestTrailers Honest Reactions]] [[https://youtu.be/WYKgStQxixs?t=15m41s video]], he wanted the song to be a serious love song.

* In one concept for the beginning of 'Be Prepared', we could have seen Scar initially meeting the leader of the Hyenas alone, which would have shown him charming her. It was cut for reasons of 'ew' and of course, there were more awesome ways to show he was evil than molesting Whoopi Goldberg.

* Creator/JohnCleese, Creator/TerryGilliam, Creator/EricIdle, Creator/TerryJones, Creator/MichaelPalin, [[Film/FourWeddingsAndAFuneral Simon Callow]], [[Series/{{Blackadder}} Chris Barrie]], [[Series/TheGoodies Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graeme Garden, Bill Oddie]], Creator/DavidJason, Creator/PeterCook, Creator/DudleyMoore, Creator/SpikeMilligan, [[Series/TheTwoRonnies Ronnie Barker, and Ronnie Corbett]] were considered for the part of Zazu before the casting of Creator/RowanAtkinson.

* Creator/JoePesci was approached for the part of Banzai, but turned down the offer due to scheduling conflicts with ''Film/ABronxTale''.

* Tommy Chong was originally going to be the voice for Shenzi, reuniting him with his comedy partner Cheech Marin and turning the hyenas into a three man band. However, both men were not on speaking terms at the time. Whoopi Goldberg was cast in his place and the character was changed to a female once the writers discovered that hyenas are matriarchal.
* The screenwriters originally envisioned Creator/SeanConnery as Mufasa. Creator/TimothyDalton and Creator/LiamNeeson were also considered.
* Creator/JamesCaan, Creator/TimCurry, Robert Duvall, Creator/RayLiotta and Creator/MalcolmMcDowell were considered for Scar.
* Virginia [=McKenna=], Creator/HelenMirren and Creator/VanessaRedgrave were considered for Sarabi.
* Timon and Pumbaa were nearly voiced by Creator/RikMayall and Creator/AdrianEdmondson. This was suggested by Creator/TimRice, who wrote Hakuna Matata after watching ''Series/{{Bottom}}''. The characters would have also been a lot more jerkish towards each other (basically Richie and Eddie as a meerkat and a warthog). However, Katzenberg thought this characterization was too unlikeable.
* Creator/JoePesci was offered to do the voice of Banzai or Timon, but turned both of the roles down due to schedule conflicts.
* A great many British comedy actors were considered for Zazu - Creator/JohnCleese[[note]]He chose ''WesternAnimation/TheSwanPrincess'' instead [[/note]], Creator/TerryGilliam, Creator/EricIdle, Creator/TerryJones, Creator/MichaelPalin, Creator/PatrickStewart, Simon Callow, Chris Barrie, [[Series/TheGoodies Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graeme Garden, Bill Oddie]], Creator/DavidJason, Creator/PeterCook, Creator/DudleyMoore, Creator/SpikeMilligan, [[Series/TheTwoRonnies Ronnie Barker, Ronnie Corbett]] and Vic Reeves.

** Nala had a younger brother named Mheetu who played an important role. He was created as a character for Nala to protect from the hyenas and Scar. Mheetu was the one who was lured into the gorge, not Simba. Simba tried to save him but failed so Mufasa saved them. Contary to popular belief, Mheetu was tan like most cubs rather than white (he only looks white because the concept art is uncoloured).

* The story was originally known as "King of the Jungle" and the plot was far DarkerAndEdgier. It had a [[http://lionking.wikia.com/wiki/King_of_the_Jungle few variations]]. In early scripts the Pridelanders were called the Ndona pride. Scar was a rogue. It was decided to make him Mufasa's brother as it made the film emotionally investing. One script was to be themed around a war between two prides of lions. Scar was the leader of the "Mbala" pride, with Mufasa leading the "Ndona" pride. There was also a group of hyenas, led by Banagi (who later became Shenzi), who would have served as secondary antagonists. Kwashi was a baboon similar to Rafiki, though not as wacky. Noticeably it was much more violent and [[BrotherSisterIncest incest filled]] than the final product (a similar concept to this, albeit LighterAndSofter, was in the first DirectToVideo movie).

** Mufasa was to have an upbeat song early in the film called "To Be King"

** Originally, "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" was going to be about how Timon and Pumbaa felt about Simba and Nala's blossoming relationship. The final version of the song only touches on this very briefly at the beginning and end.

* Mufasa's stint as Rafiki's SpiritAdvisor was originally planned to be much more obvious, with the former Lion King's ghost actively speaking to the shaman. Wisely realizing this might come across as unintentionally hilarious, or at least a breaking of the WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief, the directors decided to instead have all interactions between Rafiki and Mufasa symbolized by the blowing of the wind. This fact is later emphasized when the wind blows around Simba, just before he listens to Kiara and accepts the Outlanders back, and explains why he looks so happy and on the verge of tears at the end, even before he hears Mufasa say [[SoProudOfYou "Well done, my son."]]

* Director Rob Minkoff revealed through a [[WebVideo/HonestTrailers Honest Reactions]] [[https://youtu.be/WYKgStQxixs?t=15m41s video]], that the "Lion Sleeps Tonight" sequence and song were supposed to be done and performed through Timon and Pumbaa's perspective. Elton John actually ended up overruling it because he felt the song should be serious.