Summary
- Mufasa: The Lion King is a sequel and prequel that will delve deep into Mufasa's past and Simba's present, creating an immersive story.
- Disney has raised the CGI photorealism bar with the upcoming sequel, featuring more expressive characters and stunning sceneries.
- Lin-Manuel Miranda's new music for the film and returning cast members will bring fresh energy and excitement to the beloved franchise.
Mufasa: The Lion King is coming, and there is much to look forward to. The upcoming film is a sequel to the 2019 CGI remake of The Lion King, and it will continue Simba's story while also filling audiences in on the wise King Mufasa's past. News of Mufasa: The Lion King was no surprise since its predecessor brought in a whopping $1.7 billion at the global box office. Now, the new movie looks as if it could take the legacy of this beloved franchise even further.
Though Mufasa died in The Lion King, his character served as the story's driving force. His wisdom was foundational in Simba's story, and the idea that the king lived on forever in his son (and future descendants) served as the heartwarming theme that resonated with audiences of all ages. Still, a lot remained unsaid about who Mufasa was and who he had been before he was Simba's father. These are questions that Mufasa: The Lion King seeks to answer, but based on the movie's trailer, there is much more to anticipate than just this.
Mufasa: The Lion King - Release Date, Cast, Story, Trailer & Everything We Know About The Live-Action Prequel
A prequel to The Lion King about the life of Mufasa is arriving following 2019's live-action remake. Here's all the Mufasa: The Lion King info so far.
10 Mufasa: The Lion King Is A Sequel & Prequel In One
The New Lion King Movie Will Go Both Forward & Backward In Time
Mufasa: The Lion King will dive into Mufasa's past and continue Simba's story simultaneously. The trailer indicates that the mandrill Rafiki will narrate Mufasa's story, telling Simba's daughter, Kiara, all about the wise grandfather she never met. It can be assumed that Simba will face conflict within his tale as this story plays out. This past-and-present dynamic should make for an intriguing hook for the upcoming film, as it will expand the story in two directions, creating an even more immersive world.
Of course, this isn't the first time that the primary story of The Lion King got a sequel. The original 1994 movie continued with The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride, a direct-to-video release from 1998. In this film, a pack of lions who had been loyal to Scar and therefore banished from the Pride Lands waged war against Simba, with the leader, Zira, using her son Kovu to get close to Princess Kiara. It's unclear how much of this story will come into play in Mufasa: The Lion King, though the presence of Kiara indicates Simba's Pride hasn't been forgotten.
9 Disney Has Improved Its CGI Photorealism
The Trailer For Mufasa: The Lion King Looks Breathtaking
The 2019 The Lion King was groundbreaking in its own right. Though Disney had already been adapting many of its animated classics into live-action movies, The Lion King presented a unique challenge since its characters are exclusively animals. The studio went with a CGI photorealistic approach, and the many colorful creatures within Simba's story looked astoundingly realistic on screen. However, there were some problems. There were complaints that the animals in The Lion King still looked off at times, and their eyes especially gave away the fact that they weren't real.
The characters look far more emotive, which minimizes that uncomfortable "uncanny valley" effect.
Based on the trailer for Mufasa: The Lion King, Disney has really raised the bar with the sequel. The animals are far more expressive than they had seemed in the 2019 movie, and the detail in their fur and eyes is unparalleled in CGI photorealism. The characters look far more emotive, which minimizes that uncomfortable "uncanny valley" effect. Then, the sceneries, which were already near perfect in 2019's The Lion King, have been made even more impressive and breathtaking.
8 Mufasa: The Lion King Features New Music By Lin-Manuel Miranda
The Musician Behind Encanto & Moana Has Contributed New Songs To The Lion King Prequel
The original The Lion King score was composed by legend Hans Zimmer with additional songs by Elton John, allowing the music of the 1994 movie to remain iconic for decades. Disney's 2019 movie continued with this same score and musical numbers, remastered to be of an even larger scale. However, Mufasa: The Lion King must forge its own path. While the movie will indeed have the essence of Zimmer's score, it needs fresh and new musical numbers. Luckily, Disney has the best possible person for the job.
Lin-Manuel Miranda has become the golden boy of Disney Studios, having written the songs for movies like Moana and Encanto. The numbers for these films are critically acclaimed and award-winning, and it seems that anything Miranda touches immediately turns to gold. Though the Mufasa: The Lion King trailer doesn't tease any of these new songs, the fact that Miranda was behind the wheel in this regard means something to look forward to.
7 Much Of The Lion King's 2019 Cast Is Returning
Donald Glover, Beyonce, Seth Rogan, Billy Eichner & More Have Returned
Since Mufasa: The Lion King will explore Mufasa's past, many new names have been added to the cast list. Aaron Pierre (Foe) will voice this younger version of Mufasa, with Kelvin Harrison Jr. (Chevalier) lending his voice to Scar and Tiffany Boone (The Chi) taking on the role of Sarabi. Other new cast members include Thandiwe Newton, Keith David, Anika Noni Rose, Lennie James, and Blue Ivy Carter (Beyonce's daughter) as Kiara.
However, one of the benefits of the Lion King prequel doubling as a sequel is that many of the original actors from the 2019 movie are returning as well. Donald Glover will again play Simba, with Beyonce lending her beautiful voice as Nala. John Kani, who played Rafiki in 2019's The Lion King, will reprise his role and also serve as the film's narrator. Then, of course, Billy Eichner and Seth Rogan will again be the voices of Timon and Pumbaa, respectively.
Mufasa: The Lion King will be released in theaters on December 20, 2024.
6 Mufasa's Story Will Begin In A New Setting
Mufasa: The Lion King Reveals That Mufasa Wasn't Born In The Pride Lands
Up to now, The Lion King has been set within the Pride Lands and its surrounding regions, but the trailer for Mufasa: The Lion King reveals this will no longer be the case. One of the greater surprises of the teaser is that Mufasa wasn't born in the Pride Lands and had instead been raised in a frigid mountainous home. The trailer begins with Rafiki saying, "This story begins far beyond the mountains and the shadows," with a snow and icicle-covered cave spanning across the screen. It contrasts the green oasis that would be Mufasa's home in The Lion King.
It can be assumed that a significant aspect of Mufasa: The Lion King's plot is how the Pride Lands were established, with a young Mufasa no doubt playing a role in this. If this future lion king led the pride to a home of peace and abundance, then it's no wonder that his people loved him, which adds another layer of interest to Scar's jealousy. Overall, this should be a much-needed distinction between Simba's story arc in The Lion King and that of Mufasa in the 2024 prequel movie.