Story is the same. Script is nearly word for word to the original one. I think the biggest difference between this and the original is the voice actors and CG. I think the CG was extremely out of place. All the animals were ultra realistic but lacked the expressions needed to convey the messages they were attempting to deliver. My kids were excited to see this because of the cartoons then disappointment and confusion set in when they questioned if this was the same playful story about a lion coming of age or a National Geographic story about Africa with a couple songs. If they gave the animals more emotion and a little cartoonish (this is a kids movie) then it would have been much better.....