‘Lion King’ Sequel Going Direct To Video

The circle of life takes some unexpected spins in the upcoming sequel to “The Lion King.”

Not only is the next king of the jungle actually a queen, but the followup to the biggest animated hit in history will be released directly to video.

In “The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride,” Simba - the young lion who battled his evil uncle for control of the animal kingdom in the 1994 original - becomes a proud, if bemused, papa to an heiress, Kiara.

While there have been Disney heroines in the past (most recently Pocahontas and Mulan), it’s the first time the main character is a strong-willed female destined to rule an empire.

“Kiara is an independent young woman, and it was a creative way to make some interesting characters,” says Michael Johnson, head of Buena Vista Worldwide Home Entertainment, Disney’s video division. “There’s a fun opening sequence that, when it’s discovered that (Simba’s offspring) is a she, provides not only humor but drama as well.”

“Simba’s Pride” will be in stores Oct. 27. Matthew Broderick again provides the voice of Simba, Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella return as the voices of comic sidekicks Timon and Pumbaa. Neve Campbell is the voice of Kiara.

“The Lion King” grossed more than $300 million at the box office, making it the biggest animated feature in history. It is also the top-selling home video (more than 30 million copies).

The studio’s decision to go straight to video with “Simba’s Pride” is not unprecedented. Disney has a history of animated video sequels, starting with 1994’s “The Return of Jafar.” The “Aladdin” sequel sold 10 million copies. And just released the other day was “Pocahantas II: Journey to a New World.”