Mufasa: The Lion King was written by Jeff Nathanson and directed by Barry Jenkins in 2024. Produced by Walt Disney Pictures, the film is photorealistically animated and serves as both a prequel and sequel to The Lion King (2019), the remake of the 1994 animated film of the same name. New cast members include Aaron Pierre, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Tiffany Boone, Mads Mikkelsen, Thandiwe Newton, Lennie James, Anika Noni Rose, and Blue Ivy Carter in her feature film debut. Billy Eichner, Donald Glover, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, and John Kani all reprise their roles from the remake.
Development on a prequel to The Lion King was confirmed in September 2020, with Jenkins attached to direct and Nathanson finishing a draft of the script. Pierre and Harrison were announced as the voice cast in August 2021, followed by further casting between September 2022 and April 2024. At the announcement of the 2022 D23 Expo, in September 2022, the film’s official title was made public. Production on the film slowed down in July 2023 due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. The film is dedicated to James Earl Jones, who voiced Mufasa in the 1994 film and the remake, and whose voice is heard briefly during the opening titles, having died before the film’s release.
Mufasa: The Lion King premiered on December 9, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, and was released in the United States by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures (through the Walt Disney Pictures banner) on December 20. The film received mixed reviews from critics and has grossed $719.8 million, making it the sixth-highest-grossing film of 2024.
Plot
After Simba becomes King of the Pride Lands, he and Nala have a daughter named Kiara and are expecting another cub. They leave for an oasis where Nala can give birth, while Simba asks Timon and Pumbaa to watch over Kiara. Rafiki decides to tell them about her grandfather Mufasa and his treacherous younger brother Scar when she comes to visit them soon. Timon and Pumbaa provide color commentary in between.
Mufasa and his parents, Masego and Afia, search for the mythical Milele. A flood sweeps Mufasa into a wetland where he meets Taka, a royal cub. They are attacked by young crocodiles until Taka’s mother, Queen Eshe, intervenes. She accepts Mufasa, but Taka’s father, King Obasi, criticizes him for befriending an outsider. Obasi holds a race between his son and Mufasa to determine whether the latter can join his pride. When Mufasa lags due to exhaustion, Taka throws the race so he can stay.
As Mufasa and Taka grow up, they form a strong bond. While Eshe teaches Mufasa to hunt, two white lions attack them. Mufasa kills one, and the other flees. Taka witnesses the attack but retreats in fear. The survivor informs Kiros, leader of the Outsiders, a pride composed of lions who were outcasted for their white fur. Kiros seeks vengeance for the death of his son, whom Mufasa killed. The Outsiders then slaughter Obasi, Eshe, and their pride, forcing Mufasa and Taka to escape into a river.
When Mufasa and Taka reach land, they encounter a stray lioness named Sarabi, her hornbill scout Zazu, and a younger Rafiki. Rafiki tells them he is going to Milele to find a “brother” he saw in prophetic visions, and the group follows him there. Taka develops romantic feelings for Sarabi. They are pursued by Outsiders, so Sarabi sets off an elephant stampede to deter them, allowing the group to flee. She is knocked unconscious after falling, forcing Mufasa to save her, but he lies and tells Sarabi that Taka saved her.
The group hides in a snowy mountain range to recuperate. Sarabi tells Mufasa that she knows he saved her, and they soon fall in love. Secretly watching this, a jealous Taka meets Kiros and the Outsiders, offering a proposition for Kiros to get revenge on Mufasa for his son’s death in exchange for Taka joining his pride. The next day, the group reaches Milele, a lush oasis, with Taka secretly leaving marks for the Outsiders to follow.
Rafiki finds the tree from his vision and claims Mufasa as his brother before the Outsiders attack. Mufasa learns of Taka’s treachery while fighting Kiros. Mufasa, despite this, gathers the animals in Milele to fight the Outsiders. Kiros forces Mufasa into a cave and prepares to finish him off. Seeing his brother exhausted and realizing what he has done, a remorseful Taka intervenes, causing Kiros to slash Taka’s eye, leaving a scar.
An earthquake occurs, causing Mufasa and Kiros to fall into a cave lake. Kiros attempts to drown Mufasa but a falling rock allows Mufasa to send Kiros plummeting to his death, and he swims away to safety. Mufasa has trouble getting out of the water but is again saved by Taka, who narrowly resists the temptation to drown him.
Mufasa and Sarabi exit the cave together as the animals celebrate their victory. The animals, in gratitude for Mufasa uniting them against the Outsiders, make him King of Milele. Mufasa is soon reunited with Afia, who tells him that Masego died in the previous flood. Mufasa confronts Taka about his betrayal and allows him to stay but refuses to refer to Taka by his name anymore; Taka renames himself “Scar.” Mufasa then ascends upon the newly formed Pride Rock and roars triumphantly, with Scar watching from behind.
Back in the present, Kiara roars at the skies as the spirit of her grandfather looms over her. She and her friends soon reunite with Simba to meet her newly born sibling, to whom Kiara offers to tell Mufasa’s story.
Voice cast
Credit – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mufasa:_The_Lion_King
- Aaron Pierre as Mufasa, an orphaned lion who grows up to become the future king of the Pride Lands and the father of Simba.
- Braelyn and Brielle Rankins voice Mufasa as a cub
- Archived recordings of James Earl Jones as Mufasa are used during the opening of the film. Jones died three months before the film’s release; it was dedicated to his memory.[11]
- Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Taka, a young lion prince, the adoptive brother of Mufasa, and the son of Eshe and Obasi. He later becomes known as Scar, the main antagonist of the original film.
- Theo Somolu voices Taka as a cub
- John Kani as Rafiki, a wise mandrill who serves as the shaman of the Pride Lands, and a close friend of Mufasa’s, telling his story to Kiara, Timon, and Pumbaa.
- Kagiso Lediga as young Rafiki
- Seth Rogen as Pumbaa, a good-humored warthog who befriended Simba when he was a cub.
- Billy Eichner as Timon, a wise-cracking meerkat who befriended Simba when he was a cub.
- Tiffany Boone as Sarabi, a lioness who befriends Mufasa, Taka, Rafiki, and Zazu, and grows up to become the queen of the Pride Lands and the mother of Simba.
- Donald Glover as Simba, the current king of Pride Rock and Mufasa and Sarabi’s son.
- Mads Mikkelsen as Kiros, the formidable leader of a pride of white lions known as the Outsiders, who seeks revenge on Mufasa for killing his son.
- Thandiwe Newton as Eshe, Taka’s mother, Mufasa’s adoptive mother, and Obasi’s mate.
- Lennie James as Obasi, Taka’s father, Mufasa’s adoptive father, Eshe’s mate, and the leader of his pride.
- Blue Ivy Carter as Kiara, Simba and Nala’s daughter, Mufasa and Sarabi’s granddaughter and the cub princess of the Pride Lands.
- Beyoncé Knowles-Carter as Nala, Simba’s mate, the queen of the Pride Lands, and Mufasa and Sarabi’s daughter-in-law.
- Preston Nyman as Zazu, a young hornbill, Sarabi’s scout and the future majordomo to the King of the Pride Lands.
- Anika Noni Rose as Afia, Mufasa’s biological mother.
- Keith David as Masego, Mufasa’s biological father.
- Joanna Jones as Akua, one of Kiros’ sisters.
- Folake Olowofoyeku as Amara, one of Kiros’ sisters.
- Thuso Mbedu as Junia, a yellow baboon, a friend of Rafiki and a member of her troop.
- Sheila Atim as Ajarry, a giraffe, a friend of Mufasa since childhood and the leader of her herd.
- Abdul Salis as Chigaru, Taka’s uncle, Mufasa’s adoptive uncle and Obasi’s brother.
- Derrick L. McMillon as Mosi, the Cape buffalo, a friend of Ajarry and Mufasa and the leader of his herd.
- Maestro Harrell as Azibo, a white lion and former member of the Outsiders who is eaten by lionesses for failing to save Kiros’s son Shaju.
- A.J. Beckles as Inaki, an yellow baboon and a friend of Junia in Junia’s troop
- David S. Lee as Mobo, another yellow baboon and a friend of Junia in Junia’s troop.
- Dominique Jennings as Sarafina, Nala’s mother, and a friend of Sarabi.
Marketing
During the 2022 D23 Expo, an exclusive preview for the film was shown to those who attended, which revealed that Mufasa was an orphaned cub. The preview also revealed that Rafiki and Timon would tell stories about Mufasa’s past and his way to becoming king.
Barry Jenkins also appeared when Walt Disney Studios presented its 2024 theatrical slate at CinemaCon on April 11, 2024, to promote the film, where he remarked: “You are probably wondering… what is the director of Moonlight doing talking to me about an eight-quadrant tentpole legacy IP massive film? And I gotta say, the thought was very strange to me at first, as well. It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my life, and I’m so glad I made this picture.”
The first teaser trailer and the official teaser poster, featuring young Mufasa with his adult counterpart reflected in a puddle in front of him, debuted on April 29, 2024, on ABC’s Good Morning America. The trailer’s music track was bookended by a new instrumental rendition of “Circle of Life”, confirming that some musical material by Elton John and Tim Rice from the previous film would be featured in the film in some way.
The trailer received a mixed reception, with some deeming the film as “unnecessary” and a “soulless prequel to a soulless remake”. Jenkins responded on Twitter writing, “There is nothing soulless about The Lion King … For decades children have sat in theaters all over the world experiencing collective grief for the first time, engaging Shakespeare for the first time, across aisles in myriad languages. A most potent vessel for communal empathy.”
The official full trailer for the film premiered during the Disney Entertainment Showcase at the 2024 D23 Expo on August 10, 2024, alongside a variant on the first poster with Taka and his future adult counterpart of Scar reflected in the puddle. The presentation also premiered “I Always Wanted a Brother”, one of the songs Miranda wrote for the film. Miranda appeared in person at D23 for the first time with Jenkins to personally present the trailer.
The final trailer was unveiled at D23 Brazil on November 8, 2024, alongside a new poster featuring Mufasa, Taka, Rafiki, Zazu, Timon, Pumba, and Kiara. Earlier that day, Tiffany Boone and Kelvin Harrison Jr. appeared on Good Morning America to discuss the film and share a sneak-peek of the trailer.
Release
Mufasa: The Lion King’s world premiere took place at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on December 9, 2024, and was released in the United States on December 20, 2024. It was previously scheduled for release on July 5, 2024, but was delayed to its current date due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.
Box office
As of March 28, 2025, Mufasa: The Lion King has grossed $254.2 million in the United States and Canada, and $465.6 million in other territories, for a worldwide gross of $719.8 million.
In the United States and Canada, Mufasa: The Lion King was released alongside Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and was originally projected to gross around $50 million from 4,100 theaters in its opening weekend. Weekend projections were lowered to $36–38 million from $13.3 million on its first day, which included $3.3 million from Thursday night previews. It went on to debut to $35.4 million, finishing second behind Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
In its second weekend, the film retained second place, grossing $36.8 million. In its third weekend, it replaced Sonic the Hedgehog 3 at first position at the domestic box office, crossing the $150 million mark. In its fifth weekend, the film outperformed newcomers Wolf Man and One of Them Days to finish first at the box office over the four-day MLK weekend.
According to the New York Times, the popularity of the movie’s songs on social media and the lack of competition from other theater releases contributed to the film’s long-term box office success. The movie made £4.4 million, or $6 million, its first weekend in the UK and Ireland. In India, the film has made more than ₹130 crore (US$15 million) within 2 weeks of its release.
Some Detailed Reviews (all are taken from google)
Pavol Fabian Bača
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