Mufasa: The Lion King, a prequel to the classic 1994 Disney film and its 2019 remake is coming to theaters in 2024. This prequel was announced in 2020, and now we are getting more details of the plot. According to The Wrap, Oscar-winning director Barry Jenkins (Moonlight) appeared at the D23 expo to discuss his plans for this prequel to The Lion King. Jenkins said that the film will tell the story of how Simba’s father, Mufasa, rose to become the king of pride rock despite having no royal blood. We will get a glimpse of his difficult cubhood and how he is forced to grow up alone.
Disney’s ‘The Lion King’ Prequel Showcases Mufasa’s Rough Past
D23 attendees got a glimpse of a teaser for the movie, which will use the same photorealistic style as the 2019 film. The teaser features a young Mufasa struggling to stay afloat on a broken tree branch before encountering a friendly cub. There is some speculation that this is a young Scar, but this remains unknown. Variety explains more details of the teaser, which features Rafiki’s narration. “In this place a lion was born without a drop of nobility in his blood,” Rafiki says. “The lion who would change our lives forever.” We also hear of brief cameo of Billy Eichner’s Timon saying, “Wait wait wait, am I not in this story? I don’t feel seen.”
Mufasa: The Lion King. 2024. pic.twitter.com/IkPMk6IDGR
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The Lion King is one of the most beloved animated films from the Disney catalog. It spawned direct-t0-video sequels, animated TV shows, and video games. The 2019 remake received mixed but mostly positive reviews and garnered over $1 billion globally. It certainly did well enough to garner this new prequel which we will see in 2024.
Are you looking forward to Mufasa’s origin story in Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King? Share your thoughts in the comments.