What is the title of the 2004 direct-to-video film?

The 2004 direct-to-video film is titled The Lion King 1½.

Directed by Bradley Raymond, the film is a comic prequel and sidequel to the original The Lion King. Instead of retelling Simba’s story from his own perspective, it follows Timon and Pumbaa and shows what they were doing during events that audiences already know.

The unusual “1½” title signals that the movie takes place alongside the first film rather than simply continuing it. Its structure was also influenced by Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, which similarly reframes a famous story through the eyes of supporting characters.

Internationally, the movie was released under the title The Lion King 3: Hakuna Matata, which can cause confusion in trivia questions. It is not The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride, the 1998 story centered on Kiara and Kovu, and The Lion Guard is a separate television franchise.