Still the mightiest animated feature of them all and the undisputed “king” of the box office, Walt Disney Pictures’ “The Lion King” roars to life as never before with its dazzling Large Format Cinema debut. Reformatted specifically for the Giant Screen from the film’s original digital elements, this special limited engagement in IMAX Theatres and other Large Format cinemas offers moviegoers a chance to experience one of the greatest animated adventures of all time on the most majestic canvas imaginable. The original filmmaking trio – producer Don Hahn and directors Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff – joined forces with a team of top artists and technicians to oversee the creation of this new Large Format version that boasts added detail, richer colors, a newly remixed soundtrack, and a theatrical experience uniquely suited to capture the scope and beauty of its African settings.

With its compelling story, breathtaking animation, colorful characters, Oscar-winning music (songs by Elton John and Tim Rice; score by Hans Zimmer), the film follows the adventures of a young lion cub named Simba, who just can’t wait to be king. The sudden death of his father, Mufasa, and the treacherous actions of his Uncle Scar lead Simba into exile and ultimately on a hero’s journey of self discovery. Adopting the “hakuna matata” philosophy of his comical jungle guardians – a warthog named Pumbaa and a meerkat named Timon – Simba grows to maturity, but eventually comes to terms with his destiny and returns home to Pride Rock to help put things right.

“The Lion King” was originally released in 1994 and went on to become the most successful animated film of all time with a worldwide gross in excess of $771 million. Eight years after its debut, it continues to hold the box-office crown as the top grossing animated film and it occupies the #10 spot on the list of all time worldwide box-office champs, just behind “Star Wars” and “E.T.: The Extra- Terrestrial.”