In the vast expanses of Africa, a future king is born: Simba, the lively lion cub, idolizes his father, King Mufasa, and can hardly wait to become king himself. But his uncle Scar has his own plans to ascend the throne and forces Simba to leave the kingdom and go into exile. With the help of a boisterous meerkat called Timon and his warm-hearted friend, Pumbaa the warthog, Simba learns to grow up, accept responsibility and return to his father's land to claim his place on the King's Rock.