“The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar,” the Disney Channel sequel to the 1994 hit film “The Lion King,” has been given an official premiere date, Disney announced Friday.
“The Lion Guard” television movie event will debut in November on the Disney Channel, while the subsequent series will premiere in 2016. The movie will also be available on the Disney Channel and Disney Junior app, and on demand the following day. Both the movie and the series will roll out globally in 2017.
Set in the African savanna, the series introduces Kion, the second-born cub of Simba and Nala, who is destined to become leader of the Lion Guard, a team of animals comprised of the Pride Lands’ greatest animals.
As Kion looks to assemble the members of the new Lion Guard, he does not call upon a group of lions to serve with him as tradition dictates, but instead chooses some of his friends whom he believes best exemplify these heroic qualities – Bunga, a fearless honey badger; Fuli, a confident cheetah; Beshte, a friendly and good-spirited hippo; and Ono, an intellectual egret.
Many of the beloved characters from “The Lion King” will appear in the movie, too. James Earl Jones and Ernie Sabella reprise their original roles as Mufasa and Pumbaa, respectively.
Rob Lowe and Gabrielle Union star as Simba and Nala, respectively. Other voice talent includes Max Charles as Kion, Joshua Rush as Bunga, Atticus Shaffer as Ono, Diamond White as Fuli, and Dusan Brown as Beshte.
Both the movie and series were developed by Ford Riley, who also serves as executive producer. Howy Parkins directed. The series is a production of Disney Television Animation.
“The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar” will debut on Nov. 22 at 7 p.m./6c on Disney Channel in the U.S. and will also debut on Disney Channel in Canada the same day.
'Star Wars: Episode VII' Timeline - From Greenlight to J.J. Abrams' Cast Revealed
OCT. 30 2012: Disney buys Lucasfilm from George Lucas for $4.05 billion, and announces a new trilogy of "Star Wars" films. Fans rejoice, trim their neck beards.
NOV. 9, 2012: Oscar-winning "Little Miss Sunshine" screenwriter Michael Arndt is announced to write "Star Wars: Episode VII."
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JAN. 25, 2013: Disney announces J.J. Abrams will direct "Star Wars: Episode VII," despite his link to Paramount's "Star Trek" film series.
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JUL. 27, 2013: Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy announces to fans at Star Wars Celebration Europe that five-time Oscar-winning composer John Williams will return to score "Episode VII."
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AUG. 22, 2013: "Star Trek" cinematographer Dan Mindel reveals he has been hired to get behind the camera for "Episode VII," and will shoot on 35mm film.
OCT. 24, 2013: Lucasfilm announces that "Empire Strikes Back" screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan will co-write the screenplay for "Episode VII" with J.J. Abrams. The two set to work on a draft originally written by Arndt, who leaves the project.
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NOV. 14, 2013: Bad Robot confirms on Twitter what most fans pretty much already knew: R2-D2 will be back.
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DEC. 3, 2013: Lucasfilm launches the official "Star Wars" Instagram account with Darth Vader showing off a fresh selfie on a smart phone.
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JAN. 19, 2014: J.J. Abrams reveals at the Television Critics Association summer press tour that the script for "Episode VII" is complete.
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FEB. 26, 2014: TheWrap learns that "Girls" star Adam Driver is nearing a deal to play an undisclosed villain role in "Episode VII." Disney, Lucasfilm and Driver's reps would not confirm.
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NOV. 7 2013: Disney announces that "Star Wars: Episode VII" will be released on Dec. 18, 2015.
MAR. 18, 2014: Disney CEO Bob Iger announces that “Episode VII” starts shooting in May, and that it takes place 30 years after the events of “Return of the Jedi.”
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MAR. 18 2014: Iger also reveals that the film will be shot near London at Pinewood Studios, making "Episode VII" the fifth installment of the franchise to be shot in the United Kingdom.
MAR. 20, 2014: Disney and IMAX announce "Episode VII" will get a release on the biggest movie screen around (as if anybody thought otherwise).
APR. 22, 2014: While speaking at a Tribeca Film Festival panel, Disney Chairman Alan Horn teases that a major casting announcement is coming soon.
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APR. 29, 2014: Disney, Lucasfilm and director J.J. Abrams have unveiled the cast of “Star Wars: Episode VII." Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson and Max von Sydow join franchise veterans Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Peter Mayhew, Anthony Daniels, and Kenny Baker.
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With the cast of ”Episode VII“ finally unveiled, TheWrap looks back at major developments that slowly unfolded since Disney announced a new trilogy in 2012
OCT. 30 2012: Disney buys Lucasfilm from George Lucas for $4.05 billion, and announces a new trilogy of "Star Wars" films. Fans rejoice, trim their neck beards.