Roger Allers, who was a co-director on Disney’s famous movie The Lion King, has died at the age of 76 after a brief illness. He was an important part of the Disney Renaissance as an animator and filmmaker. He died at his home in Santa Monica on January 17, 2026.
Allers co-directed The Lion King (1994) with Rob Minkoff. It was the highest-grossing traditionally animated movie of all time, making almost $1 billion worldwide. It also inspired a Tony-winning Broadway adaptation that he helped write. He story-boarded Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, and Beauty and the Beast for Disney, which made him a key figure in the studio’s golden age.
Allers was in Egypt not long ago, and he was emailing collaborator Dave Bossert just before he died, which made the news even more shocking. Bossert called him a “extraordinarily gifted artist” and a “pillar of the Disney Animation renaissance.” Disney CEO Bob Iger praised his lasting legacy. There was no public explanation given for the death other than a brief illness.
Allers was born on June 29, 1949, in Rye, New York. He graduated from Arizona State University and later directed Sony’s Open Season (2006). His work on The Lion King has kept people interested for generations. The 2019 live-action remake made more than $1.6 billion.
