The Disney Times

The Lion King is easily one of Disney’s greatest films in the last 25 years, with memorable characters and an insanely catchy soundtrack providing a lasting legacy. Upon the film’s release, many were inspired by its gorgeous animation and great characters, so it understandably became a cultural phenomenon. The film has recently experienced an uptick in conversation as it is being compared with Disney’s latest film, Frozen. Can Frozen be retold with kittens as the stars, though? Well, probably. Still, it will likely have a hard time topping the video you can watch after the break!

The Pet Collective recently uploaded a two-minute retelling of The Lion King (via The Disney Blog), and it features kittens as the characters. As kitten videos have been known to do, it will undoubtedly melt your worries away. Watch the video below:

Although we will not be making it a point to share a wealth of kitten videos and the like moving forward, there is some significance to the release of the video beyond its adorably cuddly nature. There is a reason why The Lion King was chosen for this video and that is because of the film’s previously mentioned legacy. The film remains one of the highest-grossing animated films, and it is as popular as ever. The 3D re-release in 2011 grossed a huge $94 million in North America alone, during a time when many other 3D re-releases failed to ignite at the box office.

There is a strong connection that many viewers have developed with the film and that is due to the film’s great story and soundtrack. The opening song from the film, “Circle of Life,” has been on repeat in the minds of many viewers since their first viewing. That entire opening sequence, up until the title card, was released as a teaser trailer and it was incredibly effective as a teaser. I would guess that most do not know the meaning of the very first lines of the song, that come from the African language of Zulu, but the emotion captured in those moments has had audiences singing it for years, even if they’re butchering the pronunciation. Even though you may not know the verses’ translation while you are watching the film, you understand the tone that has been set for where the film will be transporting viewers.

The Lion King is a marvel in the storytelling department and it will stand the test of time because of that.