By India McCarty
THE LION KING co-director and longtime Disney writer Roger Allers has died at age 76.
“Roger Allers was a creative visionary whose many contributions to Disney will live on for generations to come,” Disney CEO Robert Iger wrote in a statement shared to Instagram. “He understood the power of great storytelling — how unforgettable characters, emotion, and music can come together to create something timeless. His work helped define an era of animation that continues to inspire audiences around the world, and we are deeply grateful for everything he gave to Disney.”
Iger’s statement concluded, “Our hearts are with his family, friends and collaborators.”
In addition to 1994’s THE LION KING, Allers worked on beloved Disney classics like THE LITTLE MERMAID, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST and ALADDIN.
Veteran visual effects supervisor and longtime friend Dave Bossert also shared a statement about Allers’ passing, writing, “I am deeply saddened by the news that our friend Roger Allers has passed on to his next journey. We were just trading emails this past week while he was traveling in Egypt, which makes this loss feel all the more unreal. Roger was an extraordinarily gifted artist and filmmaker, a true pillar of the Disney Animation renaissance.”
“He began at Disney doing pre-production concepts for TRON. He then became a story artist on OLIVER & COMPANY and THE LITTLE MERMAID and other films, eventually becoming head of story on BEAUTY AND THE BEAST,” Bossert continued. “He was, without question, one of the kindest people you could hope to know and work alongside.”
Bossert added that, despite the massive success of THE LION KING, “it never went to [Allers’] head.”
THE LION KING grossed $771 million globally and earned two Academy Awards for its musical score, as well as Best Original Song (Elton John’s “Can You Feel the Love Tonight?”).
Movieguide® reviewed THE LION KING positively, calling it “an heroic tale of good versus evil which embodies many Christian allegorical elements.”
Allers also attended the Movieguide® Awards Gala, where THE LION KING was honored as one of the Top 10 Family Films of 1994.
“He carried a sense of wonder, generosity, and enthusiasm that lifted everyone around him,” Bossert continued. “Roger had a joyful, luminous spirit, and the world is dimmer without him. Rest in peace, my friend. Until we meet again on the other side.”
Around the world, fans of Allers’ work are mourning the loss of one of the creative minds behind some of Disney’s most-beloved classics.
Questions or comments? Please write to us here.
– Content: +4