What To Expect From Mufasa: The Lion King

4 months ago

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Ever wondered how Mufasa became one of the most beloved kings of the Pride Lands? Well, soon you’ll find out. The feline regent’s backstory is the subject of an upcoming prequel to The Lion King penned by Jeff Nathanson and directed by Academy Award-winner Barry Jenkins. And the wait is almost over: the full-length trailer for Mufasa: The Lion King has dropped.

Mufasa: The Lion King: Plot, Cast, Release Date & More

The Trailer

What Is Mufasa: The Lion King About?

The upcoming Lion King instalment will chart the rise of Mufasa to his position of power as the beloved king of the Pride Lands. The story is told by Rafiki (who witnessed the events of Mufasa’s youth) to Kiara, the daughter of Simba and Nala. Flicking between past and present, the story will focus on how an orphaned Mufasa met and befriended Taka (later Scar), and later faced a threat to the Pride Lands which sealed his fate to become the future king. As Disney outlines:

‘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.’

Who Stars?

Mufasa: The Lion King will feature a blend of old and new characters, so we can expect many actors from the 2019 remake to once again lend their voices for the prequel. So far, those confirmed are:

Donald Glover as Simba
Beyoncé Knowles-Carter as Nala
John Kani as Rafiki
Seth Rogen as Pumba
Billy Eichner as Timon

They’ll be joined by a new pool of acting talent – including Beyoncé’s daughter Blue Ivy Carter, who will be playing Kiara, the daughter of King Simba and Queen Nala. She’ll be joined by Aaron Pierre (Foe) as a young Mufasa, Kelvin Harrison Jr. (It Comes at Night, Chevalier) as Taka, a lion prince who accepts Mufasa into his family as a brother, and Mads Mikkelsen (Hannibal, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny) as Kiros, a formidable lion with big plans for his pride. You can see the full list of new names below:

Aaron Pierre as Mufasa
Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Taka (aka, a young Scar)
Tiffany Boone as Sarabi
Kagiso Lediga as Young Rafiki
Preston Nyman as Zazu
Mads Mikkelsen as Kiros
Thandiwe Newton as Taka’s mother, Eshe
Lennie James as Taka’s father, Obasi
Anika Noni Rose as Mufasa’s mother, Afia
Keith David as Mufasa’s father, Masego
Blue Ivy Carter as Kiara

Will It Be Based On A Shakespeare Play?

Following tradition, it’s expected that Mufasa: The Lion King will be loosely based on a Shakespeare play. The 1994 version of The Lion King (as well as its 2019 remake) was based on one of the bard’s most famous plays, Hamlet, while its sequel, The Lion King 2, took its cues from Romeo & Juliet – minus the couple-killing tragedy, of course. No details have been revealed yet on which play (if any) has been used just yet, but we’re sure internet sleuths will be hot on the trail in no time.

Who’s Doing The Music For Mufasa: The Lion King?

Rest assured, the soundtrack is in good hands. Not only have both Hans Zimmer and Pharrell Williams been brought back into the fold following their involvement in 2019’s The Lion King, they’ll be joined by award-winning composer Nicholas Britell and songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda.

‘Elton John. Tim Rice. Hans Zimmer. Lebo M. Mark Mancina. Beyoncé, Labrinth, Ilya Salmanzadeh. Beau Black, Ford Riley, the incredible music team on ‘The Lion Guard,’ and so many musical contributors over the years. The Lion King has an incredible musical legacy with music from some of the greatest songwriters around, and I’m humbled and proud to be a part of it,’ said Miranda in an official announcement from Disney. ‘It’s been a joy working alongside Barry Jenkins to bring Mufasa’s story to life, and we can’t wait for audiences to experience this film in theatres.’

Release Date

Mufasa: The Lion King is set to hit theatres on 20 December 2024 – it was previously scheduled for a summer release, but was delayed due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.