How long was Simba in his self-exile?

[pounce]

Its actually 2 years said by the directors themselves. They were going to add it to the movie, but they found it to be to obtrusive so they left it out.

[SimbasGuard]

Oh very interesting, was that mentioned in the Director's commentary on The DVD? because that fact escaped me.

[pounce]

No, it wasn't on the DVD. Its on the Laser Disc version with all the extras. I can't remember where exactly, though, but I know one of the directors saying it. I'm going to check and make sure...

[SimbasGuard]

O.K. Thanks.

[pounce]

Ok, so I was wrong. SimbasGuard, you were right. I searched the entire The Making of The Lion King on laser disc and couldn't find the fact it was 2 years later. I thought I imagined it, but just to make sure, I checked the commentary on the DVD and there it was! Simba was in his elf-exile for 2 years. This is what the directors said:
"Kenya, two years later."
[They begin laughing]
"Two years later. We were going to have a title card thrown in there, but we thought Ehhh... you know, its a little, a little retro."

[SimbasGuard]

O.K. thanks for looking into that Pounce.

[TheLionPrince]

Its actually 2 years said by the directors themselves. They were going to add it to the movie, but they found it to be to obtrusive so they left it out.

Yes, that is true, but you have to include the years it took Simba to mature to an adult. I heard the directors wanted to put "Kenya, 2 years later" at the end of "Hakuna Matata" sequence when the scene begins to transition back to the Pridelands under Scar's reign after Simba is first seen as an adult. Since it takes real lions 2-3 years to fully mature into adults, then, let's say 3 yrs passed during the log sequence (when Timon, Pumbaa, and Simba are on the log) plus the "2 years later" subtitle, which would equal 5 years. However, this is not the final answer, though.

Simba was a cub when he began his self-exile, and he mentions he is hungry that he could "eat a whole zebra", which cubs can only do when they are six months old. So, 5 yrs. minus 6 months (½ year) equals 4½ years, which would be how long Simba's self-exile was.

However, I'm not sure if we should include the 2 yrs. subtitle in our theory since they didn't include it in the final version of the film.

[pounce]

Can't the two years that the directors said be included as part of the long "growing up" log sequence. 4½ years later seems way too long. This should fit the right in the middle of 2-3 years it takes for a lion to fully mature into an adult (2 years and 6 months - according the fact of eating animals from Simba stated above). If the directors were going to add "Kenya: 2 Years Later" then they'd expect people to think that that's how long Simba was in his self exile. Directors wouldn't want people to do math calculations during the film. Also, the directors said that the reason why they took it out was because it was "a little retro", thus the fact should be creditable.

[DGFone]

Also keep in mind that it is The Lion King. Apart from the title card and end credits, there aren't any words. Or anything human for that matter.
To include "Kenya, 2 years later" will be just plain weird and out of context. It will ruin the movie.

[SimbasGuard]

Can't the two years that the directors said be included as part of the long "growing up" log sequence. 4½ years later seems way too long. This should fit the right in the middle of 2-3 years it takes for a lion to fully mature into an adult (2 years and 6 months - according the fact of eating animals from Simba stated above). If the directors were going to add "Kenya: 2 Years Later" then they'd expect people to think that that's how long Simba was in his self exile. Directors wouldn't want people to do math calculations during the film. Also, the directors said that the reason why they took it out was because it was "a little retro", thus the fact should be creditable.

Pounce makes a very good point. The 2 years would not be a tack on after he grew up withe Timon and Pumbaa, it would be the time he spent growing up with Timon and Pumbaa.