The Lion King is loosely based on Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
The resemblance centers on a young prince dealing with the murder of his father by a treacherous uncle. Simba parallels Hamlet, Mufasa echoes the murdered King Hamlet, and Scar fills a role comparable to Claudius. Both stories also involve a return, a struggle for rightful rule, and revenge.
The connection was part of the film’s development, although The Lion King was not intended as a direct adaptation. Early discussions also compared the story to King Lear and to the biblical stories of Joseph and Moses. The finished film combines those influences with an original African animal setting, comedy, music, and the concept of the circle of life.
A common mix-up is calling The Lion King a straightforward retelling of Hamlet. It is better described as being heavily modeled on, or loosely inspired by, the tragedy. The characters, setting, tone, and ending differ substantially, even though the central family betrayal is strikingly similar.