20 Greatest Opening Movie Scenes Of All Time

17. The Lion King

The Lion King Opening
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Composed by Elton John for the 1994 Disney film, Circle of Life has become one of the most famous theatrical compositions of all time, and while there are countless other factors that made The Lion King the classic it was, that opening sequence instantly cemented it as one of the best animated features ever made.

From the moment Lebo M.'s vocals get going the scale and majesty of The Lion King is made apparent, and while the film would have other musical numbers later down the line, its first is still its most definitive.

Advertisement
Content Producer/Presenter
Content Producer/Presenter

Resident movie guy at WhatCulture who used to be Comics Editor. Thinks John Carpenter is the best. Likes Hellboy a lot. Can usually be found talking about Dad Movies on his Twitter at @EwanRuinsThings.