1) The lions’ roars are actually not lion roars at all. Tiger roars were used for the effect, because real lions’ roars aren’t as powerful.
2) Kiara was going to originally have a big brother named Chaka (who was going to be the baby at the end of the first film). He was deleted because of story complications.
3) Bette Midler and Helen Mirren were considered for the role of Zira.
4) Just as the first movie is said to be based upon “Hamlet”, the sequel has elements of another famous Shakespeare play-“Romeo and Juliet”.
5) The son of Zira is called Kovu – Swahili for ‘Scar’. ‘Zira’ means hate; the name of Nuka, Zira’s hapless elder son, means ‘bad smell’. [Kovu has no relation to Scar]
6) The opening song “He lives In You” was also used in the Broadway version of the first Lion King.
7) In an earlier version, Simba was actually going to be killed by the Outlanders.
8) Vitani” was originally “Shetani.” It is possible to hear characters refer to her by that name. It means “Devil” in Kiswahili, however, and Disney may have thought it was inappropriate, thereby changing it to something a little less offensive. “Vitani” has no meaning in the Kiswahili language, from which most of the characters’ names are drawn.
9) Most of the original cast reprised their roles from the original, with the notable exceptions of Rowan Atkinson – who was replaced by Edward Hibbert as the voice of Zazu the Hornbill in this film and its follow-up/predecessor _The Lion King 1½ (2004)_ – and Jeremy Irons, who was replaced by Jim Cummings as the voice of Scar in this film.
10) Simba’s daughter was originally named Aisha, but was changed when Disney realized this was already the name of the Yellow Ranger of the popular “Power Rangers” television show.
11) While fighting about who was supposed to watch Kiara, Pumbaa calls Timon a ‘fat fat fatty’, which is exactly what Matthew Broderick (Simba) called Nathan Lane (Timon) in their fight in the Broadway play ‘The Producers’.
12) The film makers revealed that, in a symbolic manner, Pride Rock is almost always shown on the shadow side, as opposed to the original film.
13) In a scrapped scene, young Kovu was shown playing with a bug, and was scolded by his mother Zira for letting it go rather than killing it when he was finished playing with it.
14) Jennifer Aniston and Sarah Jessica Parker were considered for the role of Kiara.
15) Jane Leeves was originally going to voice Binti, Zazu’s mate, before Binti was deleted from the movie.
16) During this movie, Neve Campbell (Adult Kiara) and Lacey Chabert (Young Vitani) were working together on Party of Five (1994).
17) Suzanne Pleshette and Jason Marsden portray mother and son, Zira and Kovu. Three years following this film, the two actors went on to voice characters with a similar relationship in the award winning Hayao Miyazaki animated feature, “Spirited Away.
18) Originally, when Nuka died, his last words were not “I’m sorry mother, I tried”, but “I’m sorry mother, I tried. I guess I finally got your attention, didn’t I?” This extended scene was not included in the final release.
19) Perhaps in a symbolic manner, after the outland lionesses join Simba’s pride, their sinister appearance is replaced by a softer, friendlier one, more similar to the original prideland lionesses.
20) When the Outlander lionesses are with Zira, their claws are out at all times. When they cross to Simba’s side, their claws are sheathed.
21) The Lion King Originally, when Zira dies in the end, she said “No, never” when Kiara offered her help, and let go of the rocks on purpose, thus killing herself. This extended scene was not included in the final release.
Factual errors
1)The topi (large brown antelope) that Kiara pursues make wildebeest noises.
Errors in geography
1) Okapis appear several times in the film. Whilst these animals are native to Africa, they live in dense rainforest, not on the plains where lions are found (and where they appear in the film). They would never naturally encounter lions.
Continuity
1) (at around 20 mins) When Kovu falls over onto his back to Zira lecturing him on the Pride Landers, Kovu backs up along the bare ground and then starts to sit up, and cowers down again. The background artists forgot to put in the rock that he would be backed up against – his ears flatten against the invisi-rock.
2) The number of lionesses in both prides change repeatedly.
3) When Kovu’s training is being reviewed, the notch in Zira’s ear switches from ear to ear.
4) When Vitani and Nuka go to get fire at the geysers, Vitani has a dark lining in her ear that disappears and reappears between shots.
5) When Rafiki draws a blue line over the drawing of young Kiara ,the shape and position of it changes in the next shot.
6) One of the bugs on Timon’s platter changes color.
7) When Kovu and Kiara are looking into the pond and their faces are connected half and half, Kovu’s scar is on the wrong side in the reflection in the pond.
8) Just before ‘Upendi’, as Rafiki sticks his hand out of the grass, the fur on Kovu’s elbow disappears, then reappears.
9) When Kiara and Kovu are reunited amongst the snow, they can be seen singing the playing song for about 5 seconds, but in the previous and following shots, they are not singing.
10) At the end of the film all the lions are sitting in a circle. When Simba, Nala, Kovu and Kiara leave the circle and walk along the middle, the lions are now sitting in a straight line.
11) At the end of the movie, when Simba, Nala, Kiara, and Kovu are walking to the tip of Pride Rock the lioness’ in the circle number in 13. In the next shot there are 15. And when lined up as the Royalty walk by there are 12.
Miscellaneous
1) It might take some time to notice but if you fast forward the movie to after Zira drowns at 1:12:52. One of Kiara’s claws is not
colored in.
Errors made by characters
1) When Zira drowns and dies, the scar above Kovu’s eye disappears, then reappears later.
Tags: The Lion King
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