Roger Allers has sadly passed away.

The artist and director, perhaps best known for co-directing 1994′s The Lion King, died at the age of 76, producer and frequent collaborator Dave Bossert confirmed on social media.

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“I am deeply saddened by the news that our friend Roger Allers has passed on to his next journey. We were just trading emails this past week while he was traveling in Egypt, which makes this loss feel all the more unreal. Roger was an extraordinarily gifted artist and filmmaker, a true pillar of the Disney Animation renaissance,” he wrote on Facebook.

Roger worked as a story artist for Disney on Oliver and Company, The Little Mermaid and The Rescuers Down Under before becoming head of story on Beauty and the Beast.

He then co-directed The Lion King with Rob Minkoff, and was very involved in the Broadway stage adaptation and touring shows. He was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical, and the musical itself won the Tony Award for Best Musical.

Roger later worked on Lilo & Stitch, Return to Never Land and The Lion King 1 ½, and also projects outside of Disney like Open Season and The Prophet.

Our thoughts are with Roger Allers‘ loved ones at this incredibly difficult time. We have sadly lost many stars in 2026 already.