Psssssst….do y’all know what’s happening today?! I’ll give you a hint: The Lion King joins the Walt Disney Signature Collection on Blu-ray! Ok, so that was more than a hint, but…
If you recall, I recently shared some behind-the-scenes info on The Lion King panel we got to experience during the D23 Expo. We now watch just about all of our movies on Digital HD. So thanks to our friends at Disney, we’ve been enjoying the Digital release of The Lion King for the last couple of weeks now.
Lion King joins the Walt Disney Signature Collection
During the D23 Expo last month, Disney announced that one of the biggest animated films in history (The Lion King…duh) the coming-of-age masterpiece, filled with humor and heart, breathtaking animation and soul-stirring Academy Award®–winning music would join the highly celebrated Walt Disney Signature Collection.
The Lion King roars to its rightful place in the Walt Disney Signature Collection on Digital Aug. 15th and on Blu-ray™ Aug. 29th (pssst…that’s today).
If this doesn’t get you excited, I don’t know what will! The Lion King partnered with 98 Degrees for a very special rendition of “Circle of Life”.
It’s a celebration not even Whoopi could miss!
During the Lion King panel, we got a real treat when Disney Legend, Whoopi surprised everyone by joining the gang up on stage. Check it out below!
What you can look forward to in the Signature Collection
Audiences will fall in love all over again with the treasured classic, and a new generation of fans will laugh with Timon and Pumbaa, cry with Simba and Mufasa, burst into song, and find their place in the “Circle of Life.” The Walt Disney Signature Collection release will have over three hours of classic bonus material and exclusives including:
Blu-ray and Digital:
- Brand New Sing-Along Version
- Audio Commentary – View the film with commentary by producer Don Hahn and co-directors Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff.
- Visualizing a Villain – Against a backdrop of live dancers and the animated “Be Prepared” sequence, artist David Garibaldi paints a masterpiece of evil.
- The Recording Sessions – Watch rare footage of the actors recording their roles, matched with the final animation. Intro by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff.
- Nathan and Matthew: The Extended Lion King Conversation – Nathan Lane (Timon) and Matthew Broderick (Adult Simba) offer candid and hilarious insights into their Lion King experiences.
- Inside the Story Room – Co-directors Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff present archival footage of five original story pitches.
- Circle of Life – See how color creates emotion and meaning in the film’s iconic opening.
- Simba & Nala – See how elements proposed in story meetings evolve into what appears onscreen.
- Simba Takes Nala Out to Play – Sometimes, what seems funny in story meetings never makes it into the film!
- Hakuna Matata – Co-directors Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff sing, act and dance their hearts out as they pitch the “Hakuna Matata” sequence.
- Rafiki and Reflecting Pool – Co-directors Roger Allers & Rob Minkoff pitch a sequence that became the emotional heart of The Lion King to Producer Don Hahn.
Music & More – Sing along to your favorite songs from the movie!
- “Circle of Life”, “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King”, “Hakuna Matata”, “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” & more!
Galleries
- Visual Development – Explore a gallery of striking artwork that inspired the movie’s look and feel.
- Character Design – Trace the development of the film’s unforgettable characters through early concept art drawings.
- Storyboards – Examine storyboards created in the development of “The Lion King.”
- Layouts – Feast your eyes on layouts created in the development of “The Lion King.”
- Backgrounds & Layouts – Journey through a gallery of landscape paintings that shaped the world of “The Lion King.”
Classic Bonus Features (Digital Only)
These offerings from prior home entertainment releases include hours of bonus material, such as bloopers, audio commentary, deleted and alternate scenes, and in-depth journeys into the music, film, story, animals and stage show.
If you missed any of my previous posts, you definitely want to make sure you catch up. There was so much to love about D23Expo, and I’m sharing it all here right on the blog. Here is what you missed:
- I’M HEADING TO D23 EXPO, THE ULTIMATE MAGICAL DISNEY FAN EXPERIENCE! #D23EXPO
- COMPLETE LINEUP OF UPCOMING DISNEY PIXAR ANIMATION & EXCLUSIVE NEWS SHARED AT #D23EXPO
- GET READY! DISNEY, MARVEL STUDIOS & LUCASFILM LIVE ACTION REVEALED #D23EXPO
- MAGICAL EXPERIENCES COMING TO WALT DISNEY PARKS AROUND THE GLOBE #D23EXPO
- DUCK TALES IS BAAAACK & PREMIERES 8/12! HERE IS EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW #D23EXPO #DUCKTALES
- D23 EXPO 101: THE GOOD, THE GREAT & THE CAN’T WAIT TO GO BACK MOMENTS #D23EXPOEXPERIENCE THE SUMMER OF HEROES AT DISNEY CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE PARK #SUMMEROFHEROES
- DUCK TALES WOO-OO! SERIES PREMIERE 8.12 + EXCLUSIVE SNEAK PEEKS #DUCKTALES
- 5 FUN FACTS ABOUT THE LION KING YOU MAY NOT KNOW #D23EXPO #LIONKING
- CHATTING IT UP WITH THE GIRLS OF GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOLUME 2 ON BLU-RAY 8/22! #D23EXPO #GOTGVOL2
- GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOLUME 2 NOW ON BLU-RAY WITH TONS OF SPECIAL BONUS FEATURES #GOTGVOL2 #D23EXPO
Disclosure: This trip to the Disneyland and D23 Expo was sponsored by Walt Disney World. As always, the thoughts and opinions are my own. For more information about #D23Expo click here.
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