Like This Watch That: Animation Movies Like The Lion King

The Lion King is one of the most iconic and beloved animated movies of all time.

Released in 1994, it tells the epic story of Simba, a young lion who must reclaim his rightful place as the king of the Pride Lands after his father Mufasa is killed by his evil uncle Scar. The Lion King features stunning animation, memorable characters, catchy songs, and powerful themes of family, courage, and destiny.

Inspired by Disney’s masterpiece The Lion King, we have put together a list of 15 movies with animal protagonists, adventurous plots and musical elements.

And of course, since Disney does family movies best, many of these movie suggestions are made by Disney!

We believe these movies offer you a similar experience to The Lion King.

Read to the end for some BONUS movies like The Lion King streaming FREE right now!

What information is provided about the animated movies like the Lion King in this selection?

• The movie title and release year of the movie
• The YouTube Trailer
• Director
• List of actors
• Genre
• Studio
• The MPAA rating
• Link to the movie in IMDb – For movie reviews, where to stream, ratings, trailers and lots more.
• A movie summary

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15 Family Friendly Animated Movies Like The Lion King

1. The Fox and the Hound (1981)

• Director: Ted Berman, Richard Rich
• Cast: Mickey Rooney, Kurt Russell, Pearl Bailey
• Genre: Animation, Adventure, Drama
• Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
• Rating: G
• ‘The Fox and the Hound’ on IMDb

This Disney classic tells the heartwarming story of the unlikely friendship between a young fox named Tod and a hound dog named Copper. However, as they grow older, they struggle to preserve their bond despite their natural instincts and social pressures

2. Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)

• Director: Gary Trousdale, Kirk Wise
• Cast: Michael J. Fox, Cree Summer, James Garner
• Genre: Animation, Adventure, Family
• Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
• Rating: PG
• ‘Atlantis: The Lost Empire’ on IMDb

This is an animated science fiction adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s adventure novel Treasure Island, set in outer space. It follows a young linguist named Milo Thatch, who joins an expedition to find the legendary city of Atlantis.

3. Lilo & Stitch (2002)

• Director: Dean DeBlois, Chris Sanders
• Cast: Daveigh Chase, Chris Sanders, Tia Carrere
• Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy
• Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
• Rating: PG
• ‘Lilo & Stitch’ on IMDb

This Disney film follows the story of a young Hawaiian girl named Lilo, who adopts a genetically engineered alien creature named Stitch as her pet. Together, they learn about family, friendship, and belonging

4. Treasure Planet (2002)

• Director: Ron Clements, John Musker
• Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Emma Thompson, Martin Short
• Genre: Animation, Adventure, Family
• Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
• Rating: PG
• ‘Treasure Planet’ on IMDb

This Disney adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island is set in a futuristic, sci-fi world with a steampunk aesthetic. It features a rebellious teenager named Jim Hawkins, who embarks on a journey across the galaxy to find a hidden treasure with the help of a cyborg pirate named John Silver.

5. The Emperor’s New Groove (2000)

• Director: Mark Dindal
• Cast: David Spade, John Goodman, Eartha Kitt
• Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy
• Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
• Rating: G
• ‘The Emperor’s New Groove’ on IMDb

This comedy film follows the transformation a selfish and arrogant emperor named Kuzco, who is turned into a llama by his evil adviser Yzma. He teams up with a kind peasant named Pacha to regain his throne and learn humility.

6. The Rescuers Down Under (1990)

• Director: Hendel Butoy, Mike Gabriel
• Cast: Bob Newhart, Eva Gabor, John Candy
• Genre: Animation, Adventure, Crime
• Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
• Rating: G
• ‘The Rescuers Down Under’ on IMDb

This Disney sequel to The Rescuers (1977) follows two mice agents from an international rescue organization. They travel to Australia to save a boy named Cody from a poacher who wants to capture an endangered golden eagle.

7. Hercules (1997)

• Director: Ron Clements, John Musker
• Cast: Tate Donovan, Susan Egan, James Woods
• Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy
• Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
• Rating: G
• ‘Hercules’ on IMDb

This Disney film is a musical comedy based on Greek mythology, which tells the story of Hercules, the son of Zeus, who must prove himself as a true hero in order to reclaim his godhood and defeat his evil uncle Hades. The film features songs by Alan Menken and David Zippel.

8. A Goofy Movie (1995)

• Director: Kevin Lima
• Cast: Bill Farmer, Jason Marsden, Jim Cummings
• Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy
• Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
• Rating: G
• ‘A Goofy Movie’ on IMDb

This Disney musical comedy film follows the misadventures of Goofy and his teenage son Max as they embark on a cross country road trip and bond over their love for a pop star named Powerline.. The movie explores the father son relationship and the challenges of growing up.

9. The Great Mouse Detective (1986)

• Director: Ron Clements, Burny Mattinson
• Cast: Vincent Price, Barrie Ingham, Val Bettin
• Genre: Animation, Adventure, Family
• Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
• Rating: G
• ‘The Great Mouse Detective’ on IMDb

This Disney mystery adventure film features Basil of Baker Street, a brilliant mouse detective who helps a young mouse named Olivia find her kidnapped father and stop the evil Professor Ratigan from overthrowing the mouse queen in Victorian London.

10. The Secret of NIMH (1982)

• Director: Don Bluth
• Cast: Elizabeth Hartman, Derek Jacobi, Dom DeLuise
• Genre: Animation, Adventure, Drama
• Studio: Aurora
• Rating: G
• ‘The Secret of NIMH’ on IMDb

This animated fantasy film is based on Robert C. O’Brien’s novel Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. It tells the story of Mrs. Frisby, a widowed field mouse, who seeks the help of a colony of intelligent rats to save her son from a farmer’s plow and uncovers the secret of their origin.

11. Toy Story (1995)

• Director: John Lasseter
• Cast: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles
• Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy
• Studio: Pixar Animation Studios
• Rating: G
• ‘Toy Story’ on IMDb

This Pixar film was the first feature length film entirely created with computer generated animation. It tells the story of toys that come to life when humans are not around. It explores the secret life of toys, focusing on the rivalry and friendship between Woody, a cowboy doll, and Buzz Lightyear, a space ranger action figure.

12. The Land Before Time (1988)

• Director: Don Bluth
• Cast: Pat Hingle, Gabriel Damon, Judith Barsi
• Genre: Animation, Adventure, Drama
• Studio: Universal Pictures, Amblin Entertainment
• Rating: G
• ‘The Land Before Time’ on IMDb

This animated drama film depicts the journey of a young brontosaurus named Littlefoot and his friends, who search for the Great Valley, a paradise for dinosaurs, after surviving a natural disaster. Along their journey, they face various challenges and dangers in a prehistoric world.

13. An American Tail (1986)

• Director: Don Bluth
• Cast: Dom DeLuise, Christopher Plummer, Erica Yohn
• Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy
• Studio: Universal Pictures, Amblin Entertainment
• Rating: G
• ‘An American Tail’ on IMDb

This animated musical film follows the adventures of Fievel, a young Russian mouse who gets separated from his family while immigrating to America, and his quest to reunite with them while avoiding dangers in the new world.

14. All Dogs Go to Heaven (1989)

• Director: Don Bluth, Gary Goldman
• Cast: Dom DeLuise, Burt Reynolds, Judith Barsi
• Genre: Animation, Comedy, Drama
• Studio: United Artists
• Rating: G
• ‘All Dogs Go to Heaven’ on IMDb

This animated fantasy film revolves around Charlie, a canine angel who returns to Earth to seek revenge on his killer, but ends up befriending an orphan girl who can talk to animals and learning about friendship and redemption.

15. Bambi (1942)

• Director: James Algar, Samuel Armstrong
• Cast: Hardie Albright, Stan Alexander, Bobette Audrey
• Genre: Animation, Drama, Family
• Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
• Rating: G
• ‘Bambi’ on IMDb

This animated Disney classic chronicles the life of Bambi, a white tailed deer, from his birth to his adulthood, as he experiences love, loss, and survival in the forest. The film explores themes of nature, friendship, and the circle of life.

BONUS Movies Like The Lion King Streaming FREE on Tubi

Simba the King Lion: The Final Battle
Snow Queen
The Snow Queen 2
The Snow Queen 3: Fire and Ice
The Snow Queen: Mirrorlands
Swift
Cats
FernGully 2: The Magical Rescue

Here are all the kids movies with animal characters streaming absolutely FREE on Tubi

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Thanks for reading this article for family-friendly animated movie inspiration!

If you’re looking for more family-friendly movies, than checkout our other articles on family movies!

We also have an article on the 100 Best Family Movies for Movie Night you should checkout next!

Here is a comprehensive list of every animated Disney movie made by Walt Disney Animation Studios, with a FREE interactive checklist.

We hope to see you again soon!