This Is Why Disney Landed In Hot Water Over The Lion King's Hyenas

How seriously do you take your job? 

Maybe not as seriously as the hyena researchers that filed a lawsuit against Disney upon the release of the animated film The Lion King back in 1994. 

While Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed — the three main hyenas in the feature film — are some of the funniest, most quotable characters, hyena researchers weren’t exactly pleased with the depiction of them.

Of course, if you’re looking for accurate depictions of animals, films where they speak fluent English and even sing probably aren’t the best places to look but nevertheless, hyena researchers at the  University of California weren’t impressed with the comedic trio.

Why scientists filed a lawsuit against Disney

So, according to ScreenRant, when The Lion King was being created, hyena researchers allowed Disney animators into the University of California’s Field Station for Behavioral Research. 

This was so that the artists could observe the hyenas, see how they moved and behaved, to help with the animation process.

The researchers had just one stipulation: they made the animators promise to portray hyenas in a positive light.

Then, as you’ll know if you’ve seen the animated classic, the hyenas weren’t exactly... the good guys.

They were part of the plot to kill Mufasa and even captured poor Zazu. 

According to ScreenRant: “While some simply boycotted The Lion King and claimed that it would be a set-back to protecting hyenas in the wild, one biologist reportedly took Disney’s hyena slight even further by attempting to sue the company for “Defamation of Character” on behalf of all hyenas.”

While this is an admirable plight, and may we all be as fiercely defended as this, defamation of hyena character isn’t something lawmakers take seriously. 

You could say that it was... laughed out of court. Sorry. A little hyena joke is always just a whim away.