12 Greatest Ever Disney Trailers

In late 1993, Disney revealed a teaser which begun with the words “Next summer, Walt Disney Pictures will present its newest animated feature. What follows is the opening song that begins the story”. The opening sequence for The Lion King (Featuring the brand-new song Circle Of Life) was then played out in full, with no dialogue, exposition or narration to accompany it.

Instead, audiences were then treated to some truly incredible animated visuals of African scenery and wildlife. The opening sunrise, the large crowds of animals and the African savannahs were all depicted with a level of detail that surpassed anything shown in animation up to that point.

But this trailer was more than a visual showcase, as it sets the tone for The Lion King incredibly well. The lyrics of Circle of Life conveyed big themes about the size of the universe and our small place in it. Key characters like Mufasa, Zazu and Rafiki were introduced, with their personalities (and roles in the subsequent film) being clear immediately.

nd of course, the teaser concluded with the image of Rafiki lifting the baby Simba into the air, confirming his status as the focus of the story. The first trailer for the Lion King surpassed many of the mediocre family films it was accompanying and managed to turn the film into a must-see. It is testament to the appeal of The Lion King that this sequence remains just as powerful as it did when we first saw it.