What age is The Lion King appropriate for?

The Lion King is rated PG and PopcornCheck recommends it for ages 7+, based on reading the actual screenplay. The wildebeest stampede sequence in which Mufasa is killed on screen while Simba watches helplessly, Scar's direct confession that he murdered Mufasa while cornering and threatening Simba, the final battle at a burning Pride Rock with hyenas attacking en masse, and Scar's death by hyena pack collectively make this film emotionally and visually intense for children under 7.

Does The Lion King have swearing or bad language?

The Lion King has Very Mild language. The word 'kill' and its variations appear approximately 12 times across the script, used in dialogue about Scar's plan, Simba's guilt, and battle confrontations.

Is The Lion King violent?

The Lion King has Mild violence. Hyenas chase young Simba and Nala through the elephant graveyard, closing in with aggressive threats and physical menace — no blood, but the danger feels real and immediate.

Is The Lion King scary for children?

The Lion King has Moderate scary scenes. Young Simba is surrounded by hyenas in the elephant graveyard while they make explicit verbal threats about eating him — one of the more frightening sequences for young children given the realistic animal rendering.

Is The Lion King OK for Kids?

Name: The Lion King
Director: Jon Favreau
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Family, Animation
Released: 2019
Duration: 118 min
Cast: Chiwetel Ejiofor, John Oliver, Donald Glover, James Earl Jones, John Kani

AdventureDramaFamilyAnimation

PG⭐ 6.8 / 102019 · 1h 58m

Jon Favreau

Where to Watch

United States

Stream

Rent

Buy

Rent or Buy on Amazon

Streaming data by JustWatch

What's In It

Based on the actual screenplay

🗡️Violence

Moderate▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Cartoon / Comedic

Action & Peril

Injuries & Death Shown

Graphic & Disturbing

Hyenas chase young Simba and Nala through the elephant graveyard, closing in with aggressive threats and physical menace — no blood, but the danger feels real and immediate.
Mufasa battles a pack of hyenas in a full combat sequence — roaring, physical blows, and clear peril — to rescue Simba from the graveyard.
Mufasa is killed in a wildebeest stampede in the gorge; he is shown falling from a cliff after Scar throws him down, and Simba discovers his father's body lying still — the most emotionally impactful moment of the film and the only on-screen death shown clearly.
Simba is chased by hyenas down a cliff and through fire during his escape from Pride Rock as a cub — sustained chase peril with flames surrounding him.
The climactic battle at Pride Rock involves lions fighting hyenas across a burning landscape, culminating in Scar fighting Simba on a cliff edge surrounded by fire.
Scar is set upon and killed by the hyena pack after Simba defeats him — his death is shown as an attack, not depicted graphically, but is clearly fatal.
Timon, Pumbaa, and Zazu are involved in comedic chasing and threatening sequences with hyenas, played entirely for laughs with no genuine injury.
Overall the violence is action-adventure in tone — threat and consequence are present but gore is absent throughout.

💬Language

Very Mild▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Mild Words

(damn, hell)

Moderate

(ass, b**ch)

Strong

(sh*t)

Extreme

(f**k)

The word 'kill' and its variations appear approximately 12 times across the script, used in dialogue about Scar's plan, Simba's guilt, and battle confrontations.
No profanity detected — words such as 'da**' and 'hell' register zero uses in the extraction.
No f-words, c-words, or slurs of any kind detected.

👻Scary Scenes

Extreme▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Mildly Tense

Startling Moments

Genuinely Scary

Deeply Disturbing

Young Simba is surrounded by hyenas in the elephant graveyard while they make explicit verbal threats about eating him — one of the more frightening sequences for young children given the realistic animal rendering.
Mufasa's death in the stampede is the film's most disturbing moment: Simba calls out to his dying father, finds his body, and is then psychologically manipulated by Scar into believing he caused it — this combination of death, grief, and guilt is genuinely traumatic in tone.
Scar reveals to Simba that he murdered Mufasa in a confrontation that includes direct manipulation and physical threats — a shocking villain moment with significant emotional weight.
Simba experiences a vision of Mufasa's ghost appearing in the night sky — presented as spiritual and emotional rather than horror, but the imagery is otherworldly and may unsettle younger viewers.
Scar corners Simba on a burning cliff during the final battle — surrounded by fire with nowhere to escape — before Simba ultimately fights back and prevails.
Hyenas launch a sudden attack on Pumbaa and Timon during an otherwise light-hearted sequence, providing a startling tonal shift.
Scary scenes are ultimately resolved — Simba overcomes his guilt and fear, defeats Scar, and restores the Pride Lands, providing clear emotional closure.

💕Romance

Moderate▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Crushes & Holding Hands

Kissing & Dating

Suggestive

Sexual Content

Zazu informs young Simba and Nala that they are betrothed and destined to marry — both cubs react with visible disgust and rejection, played for comedy.
Simba and Nala share an emotional reunion as young adults, reconnecting after years apart — warm and tender but no kissing is depicted.
'Can You Feel the Love Tonight' presents a romantic atmosphere with Simba and Nala together under the stars; Timon and Pumbaa provide humorous commentary lamenting Simba falling in love — the sequence is clearly romantic in implication but contains no sexual content.
No sexual content, nudity, or explicit intimacy of any kind is present.

🍺Substances

None▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Mentioned in Passing

Shown Casually

Featured Prominently

Glorified or Abused

Timon and Pumbaa eat bugs, insects, and grubs as their primary food source — presented as a comedic and cultural lifestyle choice, not substance use.
No alcohol, drugs, or substance use of any kind appears in the film.
The bug-eating is played for laughs and positioned as part of the 'Hakuna Matata' carefree philosophy — the film ultimately rejects this avoidant lifestyle in favour of responsibility.

⚡Stimulation

Moderate▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Gently Engaging

Exciting

Intense

Overwhelming

The wildebeest stampede is the film's most intense sensory sequence — dramatic swelling music, hundreds of animals running, rising danger, and Mufasa's death combine into a sustained high-stimulation scene that may overwhelm younger or sensory-sensitive children.
The final battle at Pride Rock features rapid cutting between fire, hyena attacks, and the Scar-versus-Simba cliff fight — loud, chaotic, and visually dense.
The 'Just Can't Wait to Be King' musical number is fast-paced and energetically choreographed across multiple environments with many animals — exciting and upbeat rather than stressful.
Hyena chase sequences through the Pride Lands build tension progressively with rising music and kinetic camera movement — may be overwhelming for children under 6.
Parents of sensory-sensitive children should be aware that the photorealistic visual style makes action and peril sequences feel more grounded than traditional animation.

The Lion King — Heads Up for Parents

Despite being a PG animated film most parents associate with childhood nostalgia, the photorealistic visual style of the 2019 version makes Mufasa's death — including Simba curling up beside his father's motionless body and calling out to him — significantly more visceral and emotionally confronting than the original animation; parents of children aged 5–7 in particular should be prepared for this scene to prompt real distress.

About The Lion King

The Lion King (2019) is a photorealistic reimagining of the beloved 1994 animated classic, following young lion cub Simba who is manipulated by his scheming uncle Scar into believing he caused his father Mufasa's death, then spends years in exile before finding the courage to return and reclaim his rightful place as king. The film blends stunning nature-documentary visuals with musical numbers and a coming-of-age story rooted in grief, guilt, and self-discovery. The tone is largely warm and adventurous but carries genuine emotional weight, particularly around Mufasa's death and Simba's trauma.

👨‍👧

Best watched together

Children aged 7–9 will benefit from a parent present, particularly for Mufasa's death and the stampede sequence, Scar's psychological manipulation of Simba, and the fire-surrounded final battle — these scenes carry emotional and visual weight that younger children will process better with an adult alongside them to reassure and discuss.

Family Takeaways from The Lion King

What it gets right

✓The film handles child grief with unusual honesty — Simba's guilt and trauma after Mufasa's death are not brushed aside but form the emotional backbone of the entire story, giving families a meaningful entry point to discuss loss.
✓The 'Hakuna Matata' philosophy is presented sympathetically but ultimately rejected — Simba learns that avoiding problems and living only for himself is not enough, and the film rewards the harder choice of facing responsibilities head-on.

The Lion King Cultural & Values Guide

Cultural & Values Guide

Values & Themes

●Traditional family values

The film's central message revolves around Simba learning to honor his father's legacy and accept his responsibility to his family and the Pride Lands. The story emphasizes intergenerational wisdom, family duty, and the importance of carrying forward family traditions.

Community Notes

Some critics and scholars have noted that the hyenas — the film's primary villain group — are voiced and coded in ways that map onto racial and class stereotypes, a concern that carries over from the 1994 original into the 2019 remake.

Cast:Chiwetel EjioforJohn OliverDonald GloverJames Earl JonesJohn Kani