The Jungle Book: 17 Easter Eggs & References You Need To See

2. The Lion King

It might be a tiny moment on screen, but the shot of a warthog and a meerkat standing side by side in the final battle with Shere Khan at the Truce Rock is a lovely little nod to The Lion King's Timon and Pumbaa. Neither spoke or were given names, but their moment was there for Disney fans to appreciate.

The film actually shares a good deal with The Lion King narratively: there's the idea of an orphaned child attempting to fit in with other species, a buffalo stampede helping save his life, the main villain falling to his death in flames... It's all very similar, and the Timon And Pumbaa nod feels like a conscious acknowledgement of those parallels.