Prior to the Walt Disney Pictures logo in the 1994 theatrical and 1995 home video releases, a memorial card was placed in tribute to Frank Wells, who served as President of The Walt Disney Company from 1984 to 1994.
Exclusively for the 2002 IMAX re-release and 2003 Platinum Edition release, a new title card reading "The Lion King Special Edition" is placed prior to the Walt Disney Pictures logo.
In the 1994 theatrical and 1995 home video releases, The Lion King opened with the original 1990 blue Walt Disney Pictures logo. Exclusively for the 2002 IMAX re-release and 2003 Platinum Edition release, it was replaced with the orange-and-black Walt Disney Pictures logo.
For the 2003 Platinum Edition release, baby Simba and Rafiki were redrawn before the camera pans out.
Exclusively for the 2002 IMAX re-release and 2003 Platinum Edition release, a new musical number, "The Morning Report", replaces the pouncing lesson scene.
In the 2003 Platinum Edition release, the animation for the crocodiles featured in "I Just Can't Wait to be King" was completely re-done. Co-director Roger Allers explained that he never liked the animation of the crocodiles in its initial release because "in the rush of trying to get the film done, the scene kind of fell through the cracks. They wound up just using a story panel" and animators were brought in to re-work the sequence for the 2002 IMAX re-release.[1]
In the 1994 theatrical and 1995 home video releases, Scar's shadow on the wall did not match his pose at the end of the Elephant Graveyard scene. It was later fixed for the 2003 Platinum Edition release and new animation was added of Scar turning his head.
For the 2003 Platinum Edition release, the dust purportedly forming the letters "SFX" (infamously mistaken as "SEX") were re-animated to no longer form the letters.
In the 2003 Platinum Edition release, the waterfalls in the "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" sequence were enhanced. Don Hahn explained that the waterfalls were enhanced "because we ran out of time and money ten years ago."[2]
In the 2003 Platinum Edition onward, there is a heat distortion special effect that causes significant distortion to Simba's face and body that was added on top of Simba during the scene where he says, "You don't deserve to live," to Scar.
In the 1994 theatrical and 1995 home video releases, the ending credits were scrolled down. Exclusively for the 2002 IMAX re-release and 2003 Platinum Edition release, the ending credits were different and they contain special edition credits and the memorial card to Frank Wells was moved to the end of the ending credits in the 2002 IMAX re-release.
2011 Diamond Edition/3D Version/2017 Signature Collection/2018 4K Ultra HD Release[]
For the 2011 release, the film was re-formatted from its original film negative 1:66.1 aspect ratio to a 1:78:1 aspect ratio. Although the most recent iTunes print presents the film in its original film negative 1.66:1 aspect ratio despite it being intended to be filmed in 1.85:1.[3]
1994 Theatrical / 2003 Platinum Edition
2011 Diamond Edition / 3D Version / 2017 Signature Collection / 2018 4K Ultra HD
Description
Exclusively for the 2002 IMAX re-release and 2003 Platinum Edition release, the original 1990 blue Walt Disney Pictures logo was replaced with the orange-and-black Walt Disney Pictures logo. For the 2011 Diamond Edition release onwards, The Lion King opened with the current 2006 Walt Disney Pictures logo, to return the film's opening and closing logos to their original blue color. For the 2018 4K Ultra HD release, the film opened and ended with the current Walt Disney Pictures logo with just "Disney". In addition, the jungle sounds heard over the logo at the beginning of the original and 2002 releases of the film are not heard, instead replaced with the logo's regular theme.
For the 2011 3D re-release, the Walt Disney Animation Studios logo was included at the beginning of the movie.
For the 2011 Diamond Edition release onwards, the ending of the sequence in which the dust purportedly forming the letters "SFX" was trimmed by two seconds.[4]
In the 1994 theatrical, 1995 home video releases, 2002 IMAX re-release and 2003 Platinum Edition release, the clouds that Simba runs towards as his father's spirit disappears are present. For the 2011 Diamond Edition release, the clouds that Simba runs towards as his father's spirit disappears were removed by mistake. They were restored and added back in the 2017 Signature Collection release onwards.
In the 2011 Diamond Edition release onwards, the ending credits were scrolled down again, just like in the 1994 theatrical and 1995 home video releases. They are also sped up and organized into two columns to contain restoration credits. While the 1994 theatrical and 1995 home video releases have a long list of credits.
In the theatrical, 1995 home video releases, 2002 IMAX re-release and 2003 Platinum Edition release, The Lion King had "Soundtrack Available on Cassette and Compact Disc from Walt Disney Records". For the 2011 Diamond Edition release onwards, it was shortened to have "Soundtrack Available on Walt Disney Records".
For the 2011 Diamond Edition release onwards, the memorial card to Frank Wells was moved to the end of the ending credits (like in the 2002 IMAX re-release.)
In the 1994 theatrical, 1995 home video releases, 2002 IMAX re-release and 2003 Platinum Edition release, The Lion King ended with "Distributed by Buena Vista Pictures Distribution, Inc." For the 2011 Diamond Edition release onwards, it was replaced with "Distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures".
In the 1998 VHS release, The Lion King II: Simba's Pride opened with the "Walt Disney Home Video presents" logo. For the 2004 release onwards, the logo was replaced with "Walt Disney presents". The Walt Disney Presents caption also appeared on some prints of the 1998 VHS along with some foreign 90s releases.
For the 2004 release, Kovu's reaction towards the crocodiles was changed and re-animated by two separate frames.
In the 1998 VHS release, Kovu and Kiara return back to Pride Rock singing "Upendi" before it fades into the next shot. In the 2004 Special Edition release, the scene is edited slightly shorter than the 1998 VHS release.
