The Best John Kani Movies, Ranked
14 credits from 1978 to 2024, ranked by the Movie Echo Score — a blend of critic reviews, audience ratings and lasting impact. Seal Team (2021) comes out on top with a score of 79. The biggest box office hit is The Lion King (2019) with $1.66B worldwide. Below: the best films by genre and by decade, the most awarded and the newest releases.
Top Rated John Kani Movies
The 5 highest-rated films John Kani is credited on. Seal Team (2021) leads with 79, followed by Mufasa: The Lion King (2024) at 64. The Movie Echo Score blends critic reviews, audience ratings, cultural impact and how well a film holds up.
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#1 Movie Echo Score: Score 79 Seal Team 2021 · Comedy -
#2 Movie Echo Score: Score 64 Mufasa: The Lion King 2024 · Animation -
#3 Movie Echo Score: Score 58 Murder Mystery 2 2023 · Action -
#4 Movie Echo Score: Score 50 Murder Mystery 2019 · Action -
#5 Movie Echo Score: Score 46 The Lion King 2019 · Adventure
Biggest John Kani Box Office Hits
John Kani's films have made $2.43B worldwide in total. The Lion King (2019) is the biggest hit at $1.66B, ahead of Mufasa: The Lion King (2024) ($723M). Lifetime grosses, with each film's domestic share.
- 1 The Lion King 2019 · Adventure $1.66B $544M dom.
- 2 Mufasa: The Lion King 2024 · Animation $723M $255M dom.
- 3
The Ghost and the Darkness 1996 · Adventure $38.6M $38.6M dom. - 4
Sarafina! 1992 · Drama $7.31M $7.31M dom. - 5 Seal Team 2021 · Comedy $932K
- 6
How to Steal 2 Million 2011 · Action $216K - 7
White Lion 2010 · Drama $99.6K - 8
The Bird Can’t Fly 2008 · Drama $938
The Best John Kani Movie in Every Genre
The best-rated film in each genre John Kani has worked in, the genres with the most films first. Drama leads with 5 films, and Sarafina! (1992) is the pick of them.
- Drama 5 films Sarafina! 1992 · as School Principal
- Action 4 films Murder Mystery 2 2023 · as Colonel Ulenga Movie Echo Score: 58
- Adventure 2 films The Lion King 2019 · as Rafiki Movie Echo Score: 46
- Animation 1 film Mufasa: The Lion King 2024 · as Rafiki Movie Echo Score: 64
- Comedy 1 film Seal Team 2021 · as Brick Movie Echo Score: 79
The Best John Kani Movie of Each Decade
One pick per decade of John Kani's career, newest decade first: the best-rated film of each ten years, from 1990s to 2020s.
The Latest John Kani Movies
The most recent films John Kani is credited on, newest first — starting with Mufasa: The Lion King (2024). Open any of them for the cast, ratings, box office and where to watch.
- Mufasa: The Lion King 2024 · Rafiki
- Murder Mystery 2 2023 · Colonel Ulenga
- Seal Team 2021 · Brick
- The Lion King 2019 · Rafiki
- Murder Mystery 2019 · Colonel Ulenga
- How to Steal 2 Million 2011 · Julius Twala Snr.
- White Lion 2010 · Old Gisani
- The Bird Can’t Fly 2008 · Stone
- The Ghost and the Darkness 1996 · Adventure
- Sarafina! 1992 · School Principal
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‘Master Harold’… and the Boys 1985 · Willie -
The Grass Is Singing 1981 · Moses
The Best John Kani Movies: Questions & Answers
The best-rated, highest-grossing, most awarded and newest John Kani films, answered from the rankings on this page.
What is the best John Kani movie?
Seal Team (2021) is the best-rated John Kani film, with a Movie Echo Score of 79, ahead of Mufasa: The Lion King (2024) (64) and Murder Mystery 2 (2023) (58). The Movie Echo Score blends critic reviews, audience ratings and how well a film has lasted.
Seal Team: cast, ratings & box office What is the highest-grossing John Kani movie?
The Lion King (2019) made the most at the box office, with $1.66B worldwide, followed by Mufasa: The Lion King (2024) with $723M. Together, John Kani's films with box office figures have made $2.43B.
Which John Kani movie won the most awards?
The Ghost and the Darkness (1996) is the most decorated John Kani film, with 1 win from 1 nomination across the Oscars, Golden Globes, BAFTA and the other ceremonies in the awards database.
What is the best John Kani drama movie?
Sarafina! (1992) is the best-rated of John Kani's drama films. In other genres: Murder Mystery 2 (action), The Lion King (adventure) and Mufasa: The Lion King (animation).
What is the newest John Kani movie?
The newest film on John Kani's filmography is Mufasa: The Lion King (2024), with John Kani as Rafiki.
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