‘Lion King’ follow-up movie, ‘Lion Guard,’ to air on Disney Channel in November

The circle of life continues.

“The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar,” a TV movie following Kion, the second-born cub of “The Lion King’s” Simba and Nala, will air on Disney Channel this November, the network announced Wednesday. The movie will be followed by “The Lion Guard” television series, slated to premiere in early 2016 on Disney Junior.

In addition to original “Lion King” cast members James Earl Jones and Ernie Sabella, who will return as Mufasa and Pumbaa, respectively, “The Lion Guard” features Rob Lowe as Simba and Gabrielle Union as Nala. Max Charles will play Kion, who becomes leader of the Lion Guard, a group of animals who protect the Pride Lands.

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Rather than calling upon the fastest and the fiercest animals, Kion bucks convention and invites his friends to join the guard. The series will follow the team of animals — which includes a “confident cheetah,” an “intellectual egret” and a “fearless honey badger,” as if there’s any other kind — as they “learn how to utilize each of their unique abilities to solve problems and accomplish tasks to maintain balance within the Circle of Life,” according to Disney Channel.

In a nice bit of corporate synergy, experts from Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park served as consultants on the series and movie, which aim to educate young viewers about African wildlife.

Follow @MeredithBlake on Twitter.

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