Disney offers you $2 million upfront—what’s your first move? For Jason Weaver, the initial thought was to decline the offer entirely.
Weaver, the gifted vocalist who brought young Simba to life in The Lion King, is the voice behind iconic Disney tracks like “Hakuna Matata” and “I Just Can’t Wait to be King.”
At the time of his casting, Disney proposed a flat fee of $2 million, a substantial sum, particularly in 1994 when the movie was produced.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFIWMONM2xg
Despite the lucrative offer, Weaver heeded his mother’s counsel and opted to negotiate for royalties rather than accepting the flat rate.
“I remember it was like $2 million,” Weaver recounted to Vlad TV in 2019.
“You gotta remember, they’re coming off of Beauty and the Beast. They’re coming off of Aladdin. Disney had bread.
“That amount of money to an average middle class family in Chicago in the early ’90s, that’s something,” he elaborated.
“But immediately my mom goes, ‘Wait a minute, OK, if they’re willing to do that…that’s it, that’s all he’ll ever get, for the remainder of his life?’
“They were like, ‘That’s it, he takes the money, that’s it,’ she was like, ‘No, let’s negotiate royalties.'”
Looking back, Weaver’s mother made an astute decision, and their bold move paid off significantly.
Weaver received $100,000 upfront for his role, but the royalties he’s accrued over the years have far surpassed the initial offer.
“Disney had a reputation for re-releasing stuff. I think at that time they had put out Sleeping Beauty and some of their old catalog from when Walt Disney was alive.
“They were releasing that stuff when they were releasing the new Disney stuff, so [his mom] was able to see the playing field and go, ‘Wait a minute, this is going to make a lot of money over time, so what happens when my son turns 40? Is he going to be able to get a cheque for this when they eventually re-release this?'”
While Weaver hasn’t disclosed the exact amount he’s earned from The Lion King, it’s reasonable to believe the figure is in the high six digits, given the numerous re-releases, special editions, and live-action remakes.
The lesson here: Always trust your mother’s advice.