Mufasa: The Lion King is the prequel to Disney's 2019 "live-action" remake of their animated classic The Lion King, which in the vein of other recent Disney remakes subs out colorful hand-drawn animation with photorealistic CG animation. Although this new Lion King received mixed reviews for ultimately being a shot-for-shot remake that critics claimed lacked the charm and personality of the original film, it still made over $1.6 billion worldwide, making even more money than its predecessor. Therefore, it's no wonder Disney wanted to follow up on this remake. The prequel movie is currently set to release in this Christmas, with a cast list that includes Aaron Pierre and Kelvin Harrison Jr., among others.

Read on for a comprehensive, easy-to-read guide that will tell you everything you need to know about Mufasa: The Lion King, including exactly when it's being released, the full announced cast list, and who's directing it.

Does 'Mufasa: The Lion King' Have a Release Date?

Mufasa: The Lion King will hit theaters on December 20, 2024. The movie will have some steep competition in its opening weekend against a fellow family-friendly blockbuster: Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Angel Studios' post-apocalyptic drama Homestead will also be opening on the same day. The follow-up movie was initially set to release on July 5, 2024.

Mufasa will initially enjoy an exclusive theatrical release, although it will be made available to stream exclusively on the Disney+ streaming service at a later date alongside the 2019 film and the original 1994 movie.

Is There a Trailer for 'Mufasa: The Lion King'?

The first teaser trailer for Mufasa: The Lion King was released by Disney on April 30, 2024. The teaser doesn't reveal much in the sense of the plot but it does reveal that the characters will be trekking through new landscapes in the movie as well as it being a partial sequel as well as a prequel to the 2019 movie.

What Is 'Mufasa: The Lion King' About?

The official synopsis for Mufasa: The Lion King reads:

“Mufasa: The Lion King” enlists Rafiki to relay the legend of Mufasa to young lion cub Kiara, daughter of Simba and Nala, with Timon and Pumbaa lending their signature schtick. Told in flashbacks, the story introduces Mufasa as an orphaned cub, lost and alone until he meets a sympathetic lion named Taka—the heir to a royal bloodline. The chance meeting sets in motion an expansive journey of an extraordinary group of misfits searching for their destiny—their bonds will be tested as they work together to evade a threatening and deadly foe.

When the project was first announced in 2020, it was said to be a sequel that cuts back and forth between the past and present, similar to The Godfather Part II. Even though publications have more recently defined this new movie as a prequel, the D23 teaser depicts Rafiki telling the backstory of Mufasa to Timon and Pumbaa, so maybe that's how the movie will shift between the past and present. After all, it's not so different from Timon and Pumbaa humorously narrating how they first met in the hand-drawn spinoff The Lion King 1 1/2.

Who Stars in 'Mufasa: The Lion King'?

Aaron Pierre and Kelvin Harrison Jr. are set to voice Mufasa and Scar respectively. This comes after the two actors shared the screen as Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr in National Geographic anthology series Genius.

Pierre voices Mufasa, the kind and noble lion prince of the African Pride Lands. In the original Lion King and its 2019 remake, Mufasa is the king of the Pride Lands and the loving father of future king Simba. James Earl Jones voiced Mufasa in both versions so hopefully, Pierre retains the powerful booming voice that Jones used for his performance. Speaking of Pierre, the British actor reunites with Jenkins after he played a recurring role in the director's Prime Video miniseries The Underground Railroad. Pierre also popped up in the Superman prequel series Krypton and the M. Night Shyamalan film Old. Pierre wants to honor Jones' performance as Mufasa. The actor said:

"Well, first and foremost, I want to acknowledge that James Earl Jones is an enormous inspiration of mine. Massively. And I feel very honored to be walking into this role after him. I think the key difference will be that here we're exploring Mufasa in a different capacity. When Sir James Earl Jones portrayed him, this is Mufasa in his full capacity, in his rhythm, and I think here we're exploring Mufasa prior to that point. What does this young lion look like before he is who we know him as, and he is discovering his rhythm, how he conducts himself, how he engages with his community and his loved ones? So, I think that's the key thing. It's figuring it out."

Harrison Jr. voices Taka, aka Scar, Mufasa's conniving younger brother. In the original Lion King and its remake, Scar seeks to usurp Mufasa and Simba as king of the Pride Lands. Harrison got his start appearing in critically acclaimed indie movies such as It Comes At Night, Luce, and Waves, before moving on to high-profile films such as The Trial of the Chicago 7, Cyrano, and Elvis. That said, this may be his biggest project yet.

John Kani voices Rafiki, the wise yet eccentric baboon sage and close companion of Mufasa. In the D23 teaser for Mufasa: The Lion King, Rafiki is reportedly seen recounting the backstory of Mufasa. Kani first voiced Rafiki in the 2019 remake of The Lion King, to which this new film is a prequel. The South African actor and playwright is also known for playing T'Chaka in MCU films Captain America: Civil War and Black Panther.

Billy Eichner voices Timon, a sarcastic yet caring meerkat who eventually befriends Simba. In the D23 teaser for Mufasa: The Lion King, Timon is seen listening to Rafiki about Mufasa's backstory. Keep in mind, Eichner first voiced Timon in The Lion King remake. He is also known for playing Craig Middlebrooks in the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation and for hosting the comedic game show Billy on the Street. Additionally, Eichner co-wrote and starred in the rom-com Bros.

Seth Rogen voices Pumbaa, the more childlike but still kindhearted warthog best friend of Timon who also becomes close with Simba. In the D23 teaser for Mufasa: The Lion King, Pumbaa is seen with Timon listening to Rafiki's retelling of Mufasa's origin. Just like his co-stars, Rogen first voiced Pumbaa in The Lion King remake. He is also known for appearing in not-so-family-friendly comedies such as The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Pineapple Express, and This is The End.

Also reprising their roles from the prior film are Donald Glover (Atlanta) as Simba and music icon Beyoncé Knowles-Carter as Nala. Beyoncé's daughter Blue Ivy Carter will also be making her acting debut in the movie as Simba and Nala's daughter Kiara. Preston Nyman (A Small Light) will be voicing Zazu, taking over from John Oliver who voiced the character in the 2019 movie. The rest of the cast of Mufasa: The Liong King includes Kagiso Lediga as young Rafiki, Tiffany Boone (Nine Perfect Strangers) as Sarabi, Mads Mikkelsen (Another Round) as Kiros, Thandiwe Newton (Westworld) as Eshe, Lennie James (The Walking Dead) as Obashi, Anika Noni Rose (The Princess and the Frog) as Afia, and Keith David (The Princess and the Frog) as Masego.

Cast in undisclosed roles are Braelyn Rankins (8-Bit Christmas), newcomer Theo Somolu, Folake Olowofoyeku (Bob Hearts Abishola), musician Joanna Jones, Thuso Mbedu (The Woman King), Sheila Atim (The Woman King), Abdul Salis (Love Actually) and Dominique Jennings (Sunset Beach).

Who Is Making 'Mufasa: The Lion King'?

Even though Jon Favreau directed the first "live-action" Lion King movie, he will not be directing this prequel, possibly so that he can focus on his Star Wars series The Mandalorian. Instead, Barry Jenkins, the Academy Award-winning filmmaker behind Moonlight and If Beale Street Could Talk, will direct Mufasa: The Lion King. Despite winning an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay, Jenkins is currently not credited with writing the new film and will instead direct based on a screenplay from Jeff Nathanson, who wrote the 2019 Lion King. However, Jenkins is an established director with a lot of clout, so he is expected to still bring his artistic sensibilities to this high-budget Disney movie.

Speaking of high budget, Jenkins will most likely film Mufasa: The Lion King in virtual reality similar to how Favreau filmed his remake. Even though Jenkins has never directed an effects-heavy film, he will surely put this technology to good use. Here's what Jenkins has said about making Mufasa: The Lion King:

"I grew up with these characters, they mean so much to me. I think the work that Jeff Nathanson, the writer, did and going back into really helping children and anyone who ever loved this property understand what it takes. Kings aren't just born, they aren't just made. They have to become who they are through a series of events that a lot of people can relate to. So, in that standpoint, it fits very well with everything else I've done. So I feel no pressure, I just want to do a good job."

Producing the movie are Academy Award winner Adele Romanski (Moonlight) and Mark Ceryak (Aftersun). It has also been revealed that Lin-Manuel Miranda has written new music for the movie, marking his latest collaboration with Disney after The Little Mermaid, Moana, Encanto, Mary Poppins Returns, and the Hamilton movie among others.