The installments that are accepted as part of the official Lion King canon.
Canon is the word used to describe a fixed collection of materials that are considered part of the official universe of the Lion King franchise. The Lion King Wiki recognizes five installments as canon:
- The original 1994 film The Lion King,
- The 1998 direct-to-video sequel The Lion King II: Simba's Pride,
- The 2004 direct-to-video sequel The Lion King 1½,
- The 2015 spin-off television film The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar, and
- The 2016–2019 spin-off television series The Lion Guard.
If any canonical sources conflict with one another, the following guide is to be used on the The Lion King Wiki: the original film is the "top tier" of canon, followed by the sequels, followed by the spin-offs. This does not mean that relevant information cannot be included in situations where there are conflicting canonical sources. Ambiguous continuity should always be noted. If an "official" canon source has been chosen (e.g. the original film trumps a spin-off), the information from the conflicting source should still appear in the "Trivia" sections of any related articles.
Please note that all manner of fanon, or information created by fans, is not considered canon and thus not permissible on the articles.
Articles
Any article that concerns a canonical element should only include its canonical appearances. For example, the Ruler of Pride Rock article includes only information that is presented in the official installments. Additional monarchs from non-canonical sources, such as Mohatu, are not permitted on this article.
Similarly, any article that concerns a non-canonical element should only include information as presented in that particular installment. For example, Kopa is listed as having no siblings, as he does not appear in the same installment as his canonical siblings, Kiara and Kion.
Creator statements
Any statements made by an author, director, screenwriter, or other person involved in the making of installments in the Lion King franchise are considered non-canonical. They should not be treated in an official capacity. If applicable or appropriate, these statements should be added to the "Trivia" sections of any related articles.