{"id":526731,"date":"2026-01-19T05:11:10","date_gmt":"2026-01-19T05:11:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/526731\/"},"modified":"2026-01-19T05:11:10","modified_gmt":"2026-01-19T05:11:10","slug":"the-lion-king-director-was-76","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/526731\/","title":{"rendered":"‘The Lion King’ Director was 76"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tRoger Allers, a longtime Disney<\/a> writer and the co-director of the 1994 animated classic \u201cThe Lion King<\/a>,\u201d has died. He was 76.<\/p>\n

\n\tAllers\u2019 death was confirmed by veteran visual effects supervisor Dave Bossert, who honored his friend and collaborator on Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cI am deeply saddened by the news that our friend Roger Allers has passed on to his next journey,\u201d he wrote. \u201cWe 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tAllers helmed \u201cThe Lion King\u201d alongside Rob Minkoff. Starring Matthew Broderick, Jeremy Irons and James Earl Jones, the film is widely considered among the best in Disney\u2019s animated catalog. Released in 1994, \u201cThe Lion King\u201d grossed $771 million globally in its original theatrical run. The 2019 remake is one of the highest-grossing films of all time at $1.6 billion worldwide.<\/p>\n

\n\tBob Iger, the CEO of Disney, paid tribute to Allers on Instagram<\/a>. He wrote in a statement, \u201cRoger Allers was a creative visionary whose many contributions to Disney will live on for generations to come. He understood the power of great storytelling \u2013 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. Our hearts are with his family, friends and collaborators.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tHis other animation directing credits include the 2006 outdoor adventure \u201cOpen Season\u201d and the Oscar-nominated short \u201cThe Little Matchgirl.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tAllers also worked as a writer and story developer for Disney films like \u201cAladdin,\u201d \u201cThe Emperor\u2019s New Groove\u201d and \u201cBrother Bear.\u201d He also contributed to the straight-to-DVD film \u201cThe Lion King 1 1\/2.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cI worked very closely with him on \u2018The Little Matchgirl,\u2019 and it was nothing short of a joy\u2014he carried a sense of wonder, generosity, and enthusiasm that lifted everyone around him,\u201d Bossert added. \u201cRoger 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.\u201d<\/p>\n