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Mufasa: The Lion King

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This article is about the film. For the character, see Mufasa.

Mufasa: The Lion King
Theatrical release poster
Directed byBarry Jenkins
Screenplay byJeff Nathanson
Based on
Disney's The Lion King
by
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyJames Laxton
Edited byJoi McMillon
Music by
Production
company
Distributed byWalt Disney Studios
Motion Pictures
Release dates
  • December 9, 2024 (2024-12-09) (Dolby Theatre)
  • December 20, 2024 (2024-12-20) (United States)
Running time
118 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$250 million [2]

Mufasa: The Lion King is a 2024 American musical drama film directed by Barry Jenkins from a screenplay written by Jeff Nathanson. Produced by Walt Disney Pictures, the film is photorealistically animated, and both a prequel and sequel to the 2019 remake of the 1994 film The Lion King.[3] Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner, John Kani, and Beyoncé Knowles-Carter reprise their roles from the remake; 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.[4]

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 Jr. were announced as the voice cast in August 2021, followed by further casting between September 2022 and April 2024. The film was officially announced when its official title was revealed in September 2022 at the 2022 D23 Expo announcement. Production on the film slowed down in July 2023 due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. The film is dedicated to the memory of James Earl Jones, the original voice of Mufasa from the original 1994 film and 2019 remake, who died on September 9, 2024.[5][6]

Mufasa: The Lion King premiered on December 9, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, and is scheduled to be released in the United States by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures on December 20, 2024.[7]

Premise

In the Pride Lands of Tanzania after the events of The Lion King (2019), Rafiki the mandrill tells the origin story of two lions, Mufasa and Taka, to Kiara—the granddaughter of Mufasa and daughter of Simba and Nala. The story follows the orphan Mufasa, who is befriended by the young prince Taka and adopted by Taka's family; the pair become as close as brothers. Timon the meerkat and Pumbaa the warthog add color commentary.[8]

Voice cast

  • Aaron Pierre as Mufasa, a lion who grows up to become the future king of the Pride Lands and the father of Simba.
    • Braelyn Rankins voices Mufasa as a cub
    • Brielle Rankins voices Mufasa as a cub additional lines
  • Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Taka, a lion who later becomes known as Scar. He is a young prince and adoptive brother of Mufasa, and the son of Eshe and Obasi.
    • 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 with Kiara, Timon and Pumbaa.
  • 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 befriended Mufasa, Taka, Rafiki and Zazu, and would grow up to become the future queen of the Pride Lands and the mother of Simba.
  • Donald Glover as Simba, the current king of Pride Rock and Mufasa's son.
  • Mads Mikkelsen as Kiros, the formidable leader of a pride of white lions known as "The Outsiders" with impactful plans who seeks revenges of Mufasa who murdered 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 and the future majordomo to the King of the Pride Lands and Sarabi's scout.
  • Anika Noni Rose as Afia, Mufasa's biological mother.
  • Keith David as Masego, Mufasa's biological father.
  • Joanna Jones as Akua, a white lioness and Kiros' sister who is member of the Outsiders.
  • Folake Olowofoyeku as Amara, a another white lioness and Kiros' sister who is member of the Outsiders.
  • Thuso Mbedu as Junia, a baboon who is friend of Rafiki.
  • Sheila Atim as Ajarry,
  • Abdul Salis as Chigaru,
  • Derrick L. McMillon as Mosi
  • Maestro Harrell as Inaki
  • A.J. Beckles as Azibo
  • David S. Lee as Mobo
  • Dominique Jennings as Sarafina, Nala's mother, and the friend of Sarabi.

Production

Development

In September 2020, it was announced that a follow-up film to the live-action-styled CGI photorealistic 2019 remake of The Lion King (1994) was in development, with Barry Jenkins attached to direct.[9] The film is Jenkins' fourth directorial venture and first into blockbuster filmmaking.[10] Reports indicated that the project would have a story centered on Mufasa during his formative years, with additional scenes focusing on the events after the first film, comparing the structure to that of The Godfather Part II (1974).[11] By this point, Jeff Nathanson, the previous installment's screenwriter, had completed a draft of the script.[12][13] The film was officially announced, with the title of Mufasa: The Lion King at the 2022 D23 Expo.[14]

On December 13, 2023, the Hollywood Handle reported that the film's plot would involve Rafiki telling the story of Mufasa to his granddaughter, Kiara, marking the character's first on-screen appearance in an animated feature film since The Lion King II: Simba's Pride (1998), the direct-to-video sequel to the original animated film.[15] In regards on how much his film would adapt from Simba's Pride, Jenkins admitted that "some stuff" from the canon is very much alluded and referenced, but it is not an adaptation per se.[16]

Casting

In August 2021, Aaron Pierre and Kelvin Harrison Jr. were cast as the voices of young Mufasa and Scar, respectively.[17] During an interview with Fandango in April 2023 about his film Chevalier (2022), Harrison Jr. confirmed that the film would explore Scar's backstory, portraying him in a "hilarious and very, very spicy" way and expressing interest in how the young and sweet Scar's relationship with his brother Mufasa evolves throughout the film.[18] Speaking with ComicBook.com in August 2024, Pierre expressed his feelings that his role as Terry Richmond and his work with Jeremy Saulnier in Rebel Ridge (2024) offered him, like most of his projects, to internalize lessons from the work and characters to go forward in his role as Mufasa, feeling that life experiences inform his future ones.[19] By September 2022, it was revealed that Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner, and John Kani would reprise their roles as Pumbaa, Timon, and Rafiki, respectively.[20][21]

In April 2024, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter and Donald Glover were confirmed to reprise their roles, with Blue Ivy Carter (in her feature film debut), Tiffany Boone, Kagiso Lediga, Preston Nyman, Mads Mikkelsen, Thandiwe Newton, Lennie James, Anika Noni Rose, Keith David, Braelyn Rankins, Theo Somolu, Folake Olowofoyeku, Joanna Jones, Thuso Mbedu, Sheila Atim, Abdul Salis, and Dominique Jennings announced as new additions to the cast.[4] Jenkins considered to cast Blue Ivy as Kiara since he heard the audiobook version she did for his friend Matthew A. Cherry's Hair Love (2019) short film, but had reservations on whether she and her mother would want to act opposite each other, fearing it may hit "too close to home", but both Blue Ivy and Beyoncé were enthusiastic when he proposed them the idea. Coupled with Beyoncé's Renaissance World Tour, during which Blue Ivy participated as a dancer in a performance of one of The Lion King: The Gift (2019) album's songs, Jenkins felt there was some sort of synergy between mother and daughter with the film showcasing some type of "time capsule".[22]

Visual effects

In September 2022, at D23, the first footage was played exclusively to attendees, thus revealing that production had been underway.[14][20][21] Moving Picture Company is returning to provide the visual effects.[23] In July 2023, production on the film slowed down due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.[24]

Music

Main article: Mufasa: The Lion King (soundtrack)

By June 2022, Nicholas Britell was set to compose the score for the film, having previously collaborated with Jenkins on various projects.[25] He was joined by Hans Zimmer and Pharrell Williams in September, returning from the 2019 film.[26] In April 2024, it was announced that Lin-Manuel Miranda would write the songs for the film;[4] Jenkins approached Miranda to work on the film due to keeping in touch since Jenkins almost cast Miranda in his film If Beale Street Could Talk (2018).[16] He started work on it in secret at the beginning of 2022.[27] Mark Mancina was to co-produce the songs with Miranda, with Lebo M providing additional vocals and performances.[4] In September 2024, Dave Metzger was announced to be composing the film's score alongside Britell and Williams, with Zimmer said to have dropped out prior to production. Zimmer's themes from the previous films, however, are reused in Metzger's score, such as "Under the Stars" and "King of Pride Rock."[28]

Marketing

During the D23, 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 will tell stories about Mufasa's past and his way to becoming king.[29] Barry Jenkins also appeared during The Walt Disney Studios' presentation of their 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. But oh my god. It was one of the best decisions I've ever made in my life, and I'm so glad I made this picture."[30]

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.[31] 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."[32] 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 showcased a first listen to "I Always Wanted a Brother," one of the songs Miranda wrote for the film.[33] The final trailer was unveiled at D23 Brazil on November 8, 2024, alongside a new poster feauturing Mufasa, Taka, Rafiki, Zazu, Timon, Pumba, and Kiara.[34] 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.[35]

Release

Mufasa: The Lion King premiered at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on December 9, 2024,[36] and is scheduled to be released on December 20, 2024.[7] It was previously scheduled for release on July 5, 2024, but was delayed to its current date due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.[20][21]

Reception

Critical reception

The film holds a 58% "Rotten" score on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes based on 52 reviews, with an average rating of 5.7/10.[37] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 58 out of 100, based on 33 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[38]

Notes

  1. ^ Original The Lion King themes by Hans Zimmer

References

  1. ^ "Mufasa: The Lion King". British Board of Film Classification. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
  2. ^ https://www.worldofreel.com/blog/2024/12/17/mufasa-review-embargo-lifts-53-on-rotten-tomatoes
  3. ^ Geisinger, Gabriella (September 30, 2020). "The Lion King 2 has been confirmed – here's everything you need to know". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on December 26, 2020. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d "Disney Debuts First Teaser Trailer for 'Mufasa: The Lion King'". The Walt Disney Company. April 29, 2024. Archived from the original on April 29, 2024. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
  5. ^ Jackson, Jazz Tangcay,Angelique (December 10, 2024). "Barry Jenkins on Honoring James Earl Jones in 'Mufasa: The Lion King's' Opening Credits: 'We Had All Lost a Patriarch'". Variety. Archived from the original on December 10, 2024. Retrieved December 11, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ "How 'Mufasa: The Lion King' pays tribute to James Earl Jones". EW.com. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
  7. ^ a b Murphy, J. Kim (November 10, 2023). "Marvel Delays 'Deadpool 3,' 'Captain America 4' and 'Thunderbolts' in Post-Strike Disney Release Shake-Up". Variety. Archived from the original on November 10, 2023. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  8. ^ "New Mufasa: The Lion King Trailer Explores The Ruler's Backstory With Scar". Empire Magazine. August 10, 2024. Archived from the original on August 25, 2024. Retrieved August 10, 2024.
  9. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (September 29, 2020). "'The Lion King' Followup Set With 'Moonlight' Director Barry Jenkins To Helm For Walt Disney Studios". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on September 29, 2020. Retrieved September 29, 2020.
  10. ^ "Barry Jenkins Enters a New Era: 'This Is the First Truly Playful Choice I've Made' (Exclusive)". Academy Newsletter. June 25, 2024. Archived from the original on October 8, 2024. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
  11. ^ Sandell, Rachel (March 18, 2022). "The Lion King II: Simba's Pride Is an Underrated Disney Sequel". Collider. Archived from the original on March 19, 2022. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
  12. ^ Rubin, Rebecca; Lang, Brent (September 29, 2020). "'The Lion King' Follow-Up in the Works With Director Barry Jenkins". Variety. Archived from the original on September 29, 2020. Retrieved September 29, 2020.
  13. ^ Couch, Aaron; Kits, Borys (September 29, 2020). "'Lion King' Prequel in the Works with Director Barry Jenkins". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on September 29, 2020. Retrieved September 29, 2020.
  14. ^ a b Leston, Ryan (September 9, 2022). "Mufasa: The Lion King Announced at D23". IGN. Archived from the original on October 2, 2022. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  15. ^ Schreur, Brandon (December 14, 2023). "Mufasa: The Lion King Reveals New Plot Details for Disney Spin-off". yahoo.com. Archived from the original on December 16, 2023. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  16. ^ a b Murray, Iana (April 29, 2024). "Mufasa: The Lion King Trailer Interview: Barry Jenkins On Blue Ivy Carter, The New Songs, And More". Empire. Archived from the original on April 30, 2024. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
  17. ^ Wiseman, Andreas (August 26, 2021). "'The Lion King' Prequel: Kelvin Harrison Jr. & Aaron Pierre To Lead Cast For Disney & Barry Jenkins". Deadline. Archived from the original on August 26, 2021. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  18. ^ @Fandango (April 24, 2023). "We caught up with #Chevalier star Kelvin Harrison Jr., who shared some new info about his upcoming role of Scar in #TheLionKing prequel #Mufasa. Don't miss him in theaters now in 'Chevalier'! 🎟's http://fandan.co/Chevalier" (Tweet). Archived from the original on April 28, 2023. Retrieved April 25, 2023 – via Twitter.
  19. ^ Burlingame, Russ (September 3, 2024). "Aaron Pierre Says He Learned Lessons in Rebel Ridge He Brought to Mufasa". ComicBook.com. Retrieved September 3, 2024.
  20. ^ a b c Chapman, Wilson (September 9, 2022). "'Lion King' Prequel Gets Official Title, Footage Shown at D23". Variety. Archived from the original on October 1, 2022. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  21. ^ a b c Busch, Jenna (September 9, 2022). "Mufasa: The Lion King Footage Description: Barry Jenkins Completes The Circle Of Life [D23]". /Film. Archived from the original on February 7, 2023. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  22. ^ Romano, Nick (April 29, 2024). "Blue Ivy joins mom Beyoncé as Simba and Nala's daughter in Mufasa — watch the first trailer". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on April 29, 2024. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
  23. ^ "Filmography". MPC Film. Archived from the original on May 16, 2022. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
  24. ^ Bowden, George; Glynn, Paul (July 14, 2023). "Which movies and TV shows are impacted by the Hollywood strike?". BBC. Archived from the original on July 16, 2023. Retrieved July 15, 2023.
  25. ^ Ridgley, Charlie (June 21, 2022). "The Lion King Prequel Adds Succession, Star Wars: Andor Composer". ComicBook.com. Paramount. Archived from the original on February 11, 2023. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  26. ^ Glynn, Jennifer (September 22, 2022). "'Mufasa' Prequel Director Barry Jenkins Reveals New Details on Live-Action Characters". Collider. Archived from the original on August 20, 2023. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
  27. ^ "Lin-Manuel Miranda Reveals Why He Didn't Return for 'Moana 2'". Archived from the original on December 11, 2024. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
  28. ^ "Dave Metzger Scoring Barry Jenkins' Mufasa: The Lion King". Film Music Reporter. September 27, 2024. Archived from the original on September 28, 2024. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  29. ^ Chapman, Wilson (September 9, 2022). "'Lion King' Prequel Gets Official Title, Footage Shown at D23". Variety. Archived from the original on October 1, 2022. Retrieved September 21, 2022.
  30. ^ Rubin, Rebecca (April 11, 2024). "'Lion King' Prequel 'Mufasa' Debuts Majestic CinemaCon Trailer Filled With Stampeding Animals and Dazzling Sahara Setting". Variety. Archived from the original on April 12, 2024.
  31. ^ Nordyke, Kimberly (April 29, 2024). "'Mufasa: The Lion King': First Trailer Released by Disney". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on April 29, 2024. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
  32. ^ Gajewski, Ryan (April 30, 2024). "Barry Jenkins Responds to Criticism That 'Mufasa: The Lion King' Is Part of "Soulless Machine"". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on April 30, 2024.
  33. ^ White, James (October 8, 2024). "New Mufasa: The Lion King Trailer Explores The Ruler's Backstory With Scar". Empire. Archived from the original on August 25, 2024. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  34. ^ O'Rourke, Ryan (November 8, 2024). "New 'Mufasa: The Lion King' Trailer Unveiled at D23 Brazil". Empire. Archived from the original on November 8, 2024. Retrieved November 14, 2024.
  35. ^ Sharpe, Josh (November 8, 2024). "Video: Stars Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Tiffany Boone Share Mufasa: The Lion King Sneak Peek". Empire. Archived from the original on November 12, 2024. Retrieved November 14, 2024.
  36. ^ Zee, Michaela (December 9, 2024). "Jay-Z and Beyoncé Support Daughter Blue Ivy Carter at 'Mufasa: The Lion King' Premiere". Variety. Archived from the original on December 11, 2024. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  37. ^ "Mufasa: The Lion King". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
  38. ^ "Mufasa: The Lion King". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
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