The Lion King: what age is it for?
In France, zinema would say 8.
Alone, or with you
Alone from 8; from 7, with an adult or by talking about it afterwards.
What it's about
Simba idolizes his father, King Mufasa, and takes to heart his own royal destiny. But not everyone in the kingdom celebrates the new cub's arrival. Scar, Mufasa's brother—and former heir to the throne—has plans of his own. The battle for Pride Rock is ravaged with betrayal, tragedy and drama, ultimately resulting in Simba's exile. With help from a curious pair of newfound friends, Simba will have to figure out how to grow up and take back what is rightfully his.
Why 8
- A father dies, and a child blames himselfThe story turns on the death of Simba's father, and the boy is led to believe he caused it. Death is named again and again in the dialogue, and the aftermath, a young cub alone beside a body, is held long enough to land hard. This is the part children remember, and the part they may ask about at bedtime.shown
- Chases, stampedes, and fireThere is a long stretch of panic and crushing danger, later a battle with fire spreading across the rock. Fights between animals are frequent and physical, with snarling predators closing in on a cub. It is peril rather than gore, but it is loud and sustained.shown
- Long dark, tense stretchesA third of the film plays in near darkness: night, a gorge, a shadowed cave, a hyena den. Music and cries build the pressure, with a few sharp moments that make younger viewers jump. Sensitive kids do better with a lamp on and someone next to them.shown
- Words that stingThe uncle mocks and belittles, and there are a couple of blunt insults. Nothing coarse, but the cruelty in his voice is part of what makes him frightening.shown
What the movie brings
- A clear, generous story about grief, guilt, and finding the courage to go home.
- It gives children words for responsibility: what you owe to the people and the place that raised you.
- The African savanna is rendered with real beauty, and the songs stay with kids for years.
Watching it together
Before you start, you might say: something very sad happens to Simba's father early on, and Simba is wrong to blame himself, we can talk about it whenever you want.
at 8 and up
Simba spent a long time believing something was his fault when it wasn't. Who could he have talked to sooner?
See the facts
A zinema reading from September 8, 2026 · the whole movie, watched in full · the age by zinema's rules for the US and France, and a human reading · report an error · how this guide is made