The Lion King is loosely based on the plot of Hamlet, but it is not a direct adaptation of the play. The similarities between the two works include:

• A prince who could become king has his kingdom taken away by an uncle who killed the king, the princes father.
• The prince leaves the kingdom at some point.
• Both stories center around a fatherless prince whose life is profoundly shaped by his fathers death.

However, The Lion King is a childrens movie that does not contain the sensational plots of Hamlet. The Lion King also draws inspiration from other Shakespeare works, such as Henry IV Parts 1 and 2, Much Ado About Nothing, and Macbeth.