The legend of The Lion King has returned. Later this year, Disney returns to its legendary, iconic franchise with Mufasa: The Lion King. The new adventure returns to the beloved Pride Lands later this December. Disney dropped a new trailer, poster, images, and story and cast details for the new prequel/sequel adventure.
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The upcoming story will retell the tale of Mufasa, the father of Simba, and how he became king of the Pride Lands, while also revisiting the beloved characters of the original adventure. You can check out the newly revealed trailer below.
MUFASA: THE LION KING RETURNS TO THE BELOVED FRANCHISE
The upcoming film brings an all-star roster of talent and brings new and fan-favorite characters to life. Celebrated, award-winning songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda is writing the film’s songs produced by Mark Mancina and Miranda, with additional music and performances by Lebo M. Speaking on working on the upcoming film, Miranda said via a press release:
“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. 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 theaters.”
– Lin-Manuel Miranda
The upcoming film sounds like a combination of both a prequel and a sequel. The new story enlists Rafiki to relay the legend of Mufasa to the young lion cub Kiara, the daughter of Simba and Nala. It also features Timon and Pumbaa lending their signature humor. The story is mostly told in flashbacks, introducing the story of 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 who are searching for their destiny. Their bonds will soon be tested as they work together to evade a threatening and deadly foe. You can also check out the newly revealed poster artwork below:
The upcoming film features a mix of new and returning cast members lending their voice talents to the film. Here’s the full voice cast for the film:
- Aaron Pierre as Mufasa
- Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Taka, a lion prince with a bright future who accepts Mufasa into his family as a brother
- Tiffany Boone as Sarabi
- Kagiso Lediga as Young Rafiki
- Preston Nyman as Zazu
- Mads Mikkelsen as Kiros, a formidable lion with big plans for his pride
- 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
- John Kani as Rafiki
- Seth Rogen as Pumbaa
- Billy Eichner as Timon
- Donald Glover as Simba
- Introducing Blue Ivy Carter as Kiara, daughter of King Simba and Queen Nala
- And Beyoncé Knowles-Carter as Nala
Also part of the cast are Braelyn Rankins, Theo Somolu, Folake Olowofoyeku, Joanna Jones, Thuso Mbedu, Sheila Atim, Abdul Salis, and Dominique Jennings. The new blends live-action filmmaking techniques with photoreal computer-generated imagery, similar to the 2019 remake.
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It’s directed by Barry Jenkins from a script by Jeff Nathanson and produced by Adele Romanski & Mark Ceryak, and executive-produced by Peter Tobyansen. Mufasa: The Lion King hits theaters on Dec. 20.
About Mufasa: The Lion King
Release Date: December 20, 2024
Director: Barry Jenkins
Writer: Jeff Nathanson
Executive Producer: Peter Tobyansen
Producers: Adele Romanski and Mark Ceryak
Cinematography: James Laxton
Production: Walt Disney Studios
Distribution: Walt Disney Studios
Cast: Aaron Pierre, Kelvin Harrison Jr. Tiffany Boone, Kagiso Lediga, Preston Nyman, Mads Mikkelsen, Thandiwe Newton, Lennie James, Anika Noni Rose, Keith David, John Kani, Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner, Donald Glover, Blue Ivy Carter, and Beyonce Knowles-Carter
Synopsis: 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.
What do you think of the news? Do you like how Mufasa: The Lion King is shaping up so far? Do you think this prequel/sequel for The Lion King franchise is a good idea? Let us know your thoughts about the upcoming Disney tentpole on our social media!
SOURCE: Disney
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