Summary
- Mufasa: The Lion King is a prequel to 2019’s The Lion King, focusing on Mufasa and Scar’s history.
- The trailer reveals Mufasa’s lack of royal heritage and features scenes of danger and adventure.
- Barry Jenkins will direct Mufasa, set for release on December 20, 2024.
The first trailer for Mufasa: The Lion King has arrived. The upcoming movie is a prequel to 2019’s The Lion King and will focus on Mufasa and Scar’s history, providing an original backstory for the pair that sets the stage for the original movie. While Jon Favreau directed the 2019 movie, Barry Jenkins (If Beale Street Could Talk) will helm Mufasa.
Now, Walt Disney Studios has released the first trailer for the upcoming Mufasa movie, offering a glimpse at what to expect from the upcoming prequel film. Check it out below:
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The trailer offers more context to Mufasa’s backstory, revealing his lack of royal heritage prior to becoming the ruler of the Pride Lands. Swelling music, both new and familiar, accompany exciting scenes of danger and adventure as the future ruler is shown throughout different stages of his life.
What The Mufasa Trailer Reveals About The Lion King Prequel
Custom image by Brennan Klein
The trailer’s many scenes indicate the story will not only be showing the younger years of Simba’s father, but also revealing elements of his older life that were not touched upon in the previous film. The trailer also revealed the return of multiple familiar side characters, including Zazu, Rafiki, and even Timon and Pumbaa. However, there will also be plenty of new elements as well, including an original soundtrack from Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda that brings a new melody to the movie as a whole.
While Mufasa’s journey to become ruler of the Pride Lands risks repeating The Lion King‘s story, the trailer’s exciting new locations and dangers indicate the film will stand out from its predecessor. One of the most notable new areas in the film is a snowy location, something that will add a new dynamic to the journey because of the unclear dangers there. It also hints at just how far the young lion is going to travel, adding more unpredictable ideas to the mix as his story gets fleshed out.
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Mufasa’s Backstory Update Could Cause Massive Changes To Disney’s Lion King Lore
New footage from Mufasa: The Lion King indicates that the upcoming prequel movie may make some big changes to the Disney franchise’s lore.
One key element the trailer only shows briefly is the conflict between him and Scar, a defining storyline that will no doubt be expanded upon in future promotional material. Since the movie will focus on how a rift formed in the pair’s relationship, the journey involved will have plenty of opportunities to showcase the importance of this backstory. Since Mufasa is destined to end with its titular character leading the Pride Lands, it should prove interesting to see how someone without royal blood manages to become the king his home accepts.
Mufasa: The Lion King arrives in theaters on December 20, 2024.
Source: Walt Disney Studios/YouTube
Mufasa: The Lion King
Mufasa: The Lion King is a prequel to the live-action remake of the original Disney animated film, The Lion King. The film will follow Mufasa in his early days; further plot details are currently under wraps. The film will likely explore Mufasa and Scar’s relationship and how it became as strained as it did. In the film, Timon and Pumba will return, with Billy Eicher and Seth Rogen reprising their roles.
Director
Barry Jenkins
Release Date
December 20, 2024
Writers
Jeff Nathanson
Cast
Seth Rogen
, Billy Eichner
, Kelvin Harrison Jr.
, Aaron Pierre
, John Kani