10 Interesting Facts About The Making Of The Lion King
7. The Stampede Scene Took Three Years To Make
There are many outstanding scenes in The Lion King. The opening sequence, Scar’s musical number, and the epic finale are all brilliant moments. The stampede at the end of the first act is also a highlight, and this thrilling sequence took three years to make.
From a technical standpoint, this sequence was really challenging. Unlike many of the other animals in the film, the wildebeests weren’t drawn by hand – they were computer-generated instead. Computer animation was still in its infancy during the making of The Lion King, so the animators had to grapple with this unfamiliar technology to make the scene work.
What’s more, the loss of Simba’s father is an emotional moment, and Disney didn’t want it to be too dark for younger audiences. The scene had to be sad without being overly traumatic, and striking this balance took a long time to figure out.
Needless to say, the final product is perfect. The scene nails what it sets out to do and leads smoothly into the second act of the story.