New 'Lion King' sequel coming to Disney Channel

 By 
Yohana Desta
 on 
Original image replaced with Mashable logo
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Be still our beating hearts -- The Lion King is back.

Disney is releasing a new Lion King sequel titled The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar. It's a precursor to a Disney Channel series called The Lion Guard, and will premiere on the Disney Channel this November. The TV series will air in 2016.

The Lion Guard film will tell the story of Kion, the second son of Simba and Nala. He sets off to become the leader of the Lion Guard, a team that protects the Pride Lands.

[seealso slug="lion-king-aladdin-sing-airport"]

Disney shared a snippet of what to expect.

The film boasts an impressive voice cast, as well as a few returning members from the original film. James Earl Jones and Ernie Sabella will reprise their roles as Mufasa and Pumbaa, respectively, while Rob Lowe will voice Simba and Gabrielle Union will voice Nala. Max Charles, Atticus Shaffer and Sarah Hyland will also voice characters in the new flick.

New animal characters introduced in this film include Ono, an egret, Fuli, a cheetah and Beshte, a hippo.

It doesn't appear as though Nathan Lane, who played Timon, will be back to claim his role. However, the James Earl Jones news means we can hopefully prepare for a series of Mufasa flashbacks.

Original image replaced with Mashable logo
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

The first Lion King film came out in 1994; since then, there have been two sequel films and a spinoff television series.

The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
These newsletters may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. By clicking Subscribe, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!