I got in contact with a "Lion King II" producer

[TheLionPrince]

...via email and with the help from Akril, here's what she said when I (and Akril) asked her some questions regarding the production history of The Lion King II:

1. Why was Binti, Zazu's girlfriend, deleted from the film?

Her response was:

[quote]1. Binti was originally created by one of the very first Directors of the film and as it goes in the movie making business, as the next Director of the movie came on board, that character and storyline was eliminated. Having to create a storyline around incidental characters can clutter up the "A" storyline and we wanted to keep that the focus. I actually still have a little clay model of Binti that one of the storyboard artists made for me![/quote]

2. By the time you signed on to the film, were the hyenas originally going to appear in the sequel? If so, what was their role in the early version of the story? An article from the New York Daily News states Cheech Marin (the voice of Banzai) had reprised his role.

Her response was:

[quote]You are correct, the hyenas were going to appear in the film with a very similar role as in the Lion King, but we thought introducing them again would be redundant. Cheech was on board to reprise his role.[/quote]

3. Why were Nuka's last lines ("Well, I finally got your attention, didn't I?") and Zira's suicide scene deleted from the film?

Her response was:

[quote]We went back and forth about Zira's suicide scene and as you can imagine it was a hot topic amongst all the executives in the company. The Director on the film felt very strongly about keeping it in, but as with anything in life, if you have to ask yourself, "Is this appropriate for our audience" then it probably isn't.[/quote]

4. Do you have any information about a rhino character going to be voiced by Thomas Haden Church? (Here are some Google search results that indicate this.)

Her response was:

[quote]The rhino character was in a very early incarnation of the story and as with Binti, it was a character that was cut after the new Director came on board. No specific reason for why he was cut, it just boiled down to creative vision of the new Director.[/quote]

For those who joined recently, the rhino question goes back to a topic back in November 2011 posted by Noah where Binti allegedly had some relationship with a butch of rhinoceros, and rumored to be a "rhino jockey".

Also, the Binti question goes back to what Noah revealed in another topic that Binti was to have a "flirtatious" personality, and was going to voiced by Frasier actress Jane Leeves.

Finally, I asked some questions concerning Chaka (Simba's deleted son) and other deleted material, but she wasn't able to provide deeper context into it. I would post it if you like.

[DreamEater]

Please do!

This is all so interesting. I'm glad you were able to get in contact with one of the producers and ask them about it for yourself. Finding out new things about TLK is always exciting. ^^

[DGFone]

Way to go! The questions and answers were quite interesting.

I didn't know that Cheech was even considered for the second movie, let alone being on the team until they decided not to have the hyenas anymore.

[KingCub]

Thanks for sharing!! Thats some really cool information you have there!

[OuRaion]

This is good stuff, good information. Thanks for sharing!

[cleargreenwater]

Proof Vitani & Nuka are overblown glorified hyena wannabes.

But it kept the Hyenas out of a grandiosly insipid cheesey forced sequel, maintaining their awesomeness, and for that I am forever grateful to the Disney Powers.


Nice contact-sleuthing, though!

[Kiburi]

Awesome info, way to go!

[Sigurd]

Good initiative. I think it's strange that the hyenas didn't appear in TLK2, and can't see any reason not to have them in there and it's weird that they just disappeared. As with Zazu's girlfriend though, I think it was good they cut her, she would have serve no purpose.

[MooLion]

I, too think it's good that the hyenas weren't in it. At the time I'd've liked to have seen more from the hyenas, and even wrote my own story regarding it; however I think the hyenas were a TLK thing. Involved with Scar as they were, their end had to come too ('m not saying they died).

Anywaaay,

It's great you were able to contact to get in contact with a producer! And nice they actually remember some details about a 1998 sequel film.

[SlayerOfLight]

Interesting!

Now someone should ask a TLK2 producer if Nuka and Vitani are REALLY Scar's children (like some people like to think) and watch the butthurtness that will follow when the obvious answer will be given.

But to remain on topic, I've also always wondered where the Hyena's went in TLK2 :S We didn't really hear much about them anyway, but I'm glad Zazu's ''girlfriend'' didn't make an appearance since it could kinda desturb the main plot.