Mufasa: The Lion King

Last updated

Mufasa: The Lion King
Mufasa The Lion King Movie 2024.jpeg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Barry Jenkins
Screenplay by Jeff Nathanson
Based on
The Lion King
by
Produced by
Starring
Cinematography James Laxton
Edited by Joi McMillon
Music by
Production
company
Distributed by Walt 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$200 million [2] [3] [4]
Box office$592 million [5] [4]

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 serves as both a prequel and sequel to The Lion King (2019), the remake of the 1994 animated film of the same name. [6] Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner, Donald Glover, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, and John Kani 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. [7]

Contents

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. 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 James Earl Jones, who voiced Mufasa in the 1994 film and the remake, died before the film's release, and whose voice is heard briefly during the opening titles. [8] [9]

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 on December 20, 2024. [10] The film received mixed reviews from critics and has grossed $592 million, making it the seventh-highest-grossing film of 2024.

Plot

Sometime after Simba becomes King of the Pride Lands, [b] 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 soon visits them and decides to share the story about her grandfather Mufasa and his treacherous younger brother Scar, with Timon and Pumbaa providing color commentary in between.

Mufasa is born to a small pride consisting of himself and his parents, Masego and Afia, who believe in a mythical land called Milele. A flood strikes, and Mufasa's fear stops him from joining Afia; he is swept away and soon meets a royal cub named Taka, who tries to save him from young crocodiles before Taka's mother, Queen Eshe, intervenes. Eshe reluctantly accepts Mufasa as her son, but Taka's father, King Obasi, criticizes Taka for welcoming an outsider. When Obasi threatens to eat the cub, Mufasa races with Taka to prove his speed. Mufasa lingers back due to exhaustion, but Taka concedes defeat so that Mufasa can be welcomed into the pride.

As Mufasa and Taka grow up, they form a strong brotherly bond. While Eshe teaches Mufasa how to hunt, the land is assaulted by two white lions who attack Mufasa and Eshe, but Mufasa kills one while the other flees. Taka sees the attack but retreats in fear. The survivor reports back to Kiros, the leader of a pride called the Outsiders, composed of lions banished for their white fur, and the father of the lion Mufasa killed; Kiros and his sisters, Akua and Amara, swear vengeance. The Outsiders slaughter Obasi, Eshe, and their pride before chasing Mufasa and Taka, who 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 as the Outsiders continue to pursue them. Sarabi uses bees to cause an elephant stampede to distract the Outsiders, allowing the group to escape. She falls and gets injured, forcing Mufasa to save her, but he lies and tells a recovering 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. Despite this, Mufasa rallies the animals in Milele to fight off the Outsiders. Kiros forces Mufasa into a cave. Seeing his brother exhausted and realizing what he has done, a remorseful Taka intervenes, and during the struggle, Kiros slashes Taka's eye, leaving a scar. Rafiki causes a cave-in, flooding the cave. Akua and Amara are killed in the collapse as they try to kill Sarabi. Undeterred, Kiros attempts to drown Mufasa, but a falling rock allows Mufasa to send Kiros plummeting to his death, and he swims away to safety. Taka is tempted to drown his brother but instead helps him out of the water.

The flood recedes, and Mufasa and Sarabi exit the cave together as the animals celebrate their victory. Rafiki dubs the couple King and Queen. 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 as he refuses to refer to Taka by his name any longer, Taka renames himself "Scar". Mufasa then ascends upon the newly formed Pride Rock and roars triumphantly.

Back in the present, Kiara roars atop Pride Rock 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

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, directed by Barry Jenkins. [12] It is his fourth feature directorial role and first in blockbuster filmmaking. [13] Reports indicated 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). [14] By this point, Jeff Nathanson, the previous installment's screenwriter, had completed a draft of the script. [15] [16] The film was officially announced, with the title of Mufasa: The Lion King at the 2022 D23 Expo. [17]

On December 13, 2023, the Hollywood Handle reported that the 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. [18] Regarding any adaptation from Simba's Pride, Jenkins stated that "some stuff" from the canon is very much alluded and referenced, but it is not an adaptation. [19]

Casting

In August 2021, Aaron Pierre and Kelvin Harrison Jr. were cast as the voices of young Mufasa and Scar, respectively. [20] During an interview with Fandango in April 2023 about his film Chevalier (2022), Harrison 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. [21] Speaking with ComicBook.com in August 2024, Pierre described how his role as Terry Richmond and his work with Jeremy Saulnier in Rebel Ridge (2024) offered him, like most of his projects, the opportunity to internalize lessons from the work and characters so as to move forward with his role as Mufasa, saying that previous life experiences inform his future ones. [22] By September 2022, it was revealed that Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner, and John Kani would reprise their roles as Pumbaa, Timon, and Rafiki, respectively. [23] [24]

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. [7] Jenkins considered casting 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". However, both Blue Ivy and Beyoncé were enthusiastic when he proposed the idea to them. Coupled with Beyoncé's Renaissance World Tour, during which Blue Ivy danced to one of The Lion King: The Gift (2019) album's songs, Jenkins said there was synergy between mother and daughter with the film showcasing a type of "time capsule". [25]

Visual effects

In September 2022, at the D23 Expo in Anaheim, California, early footage was shown exclusively to attendees for the first time, thus revealing that production was already underway. [17] [23] [24] Moving Picture Company returned to provide the visual effects. [26] In July 2023, production on the film slowed down due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. [27]

Music

By June 2022, Nicholas Britell was set to compose the score for the film, having previously collaborated with Jenkins on various projects. [28] He was joined by Hans Zimmer and Pharrell Williams in September, returning from the 2019 film. [29] In April 2024, it was announced that Lin-Manuel Miranda would write the songs for the film; [7] 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). [19] He started work on it in secret at the beginning of 2022. [30] Mark Mancina was to co-produce the songs with Miranda, with Lebo M providing additional vocals and performances. [7] In September 2024, Dave Metzger was announced to be composing the film's score, with Zimmer, Britell, and Williams said to have dropped out prior to production. While Metzger received sole credit for the score, Zimmer's themes from the previous films were reused in Metzger's score, such as "Under the Stars" and "King of Pride Rock". [31] Zimmer is additionally credited for the track "And So It's Time". Additionally, four of Britell's themes for the film were included, all of which he composed with Lebo M.

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. [32] 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. 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." [33]

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. [34] 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." [35]

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. [36] Miranda appeared in person at D23 for the first time with Jenkins to personally present the trailer. [37]

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. [38] 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. [39]

Release

Mufasa: The Lion King's world premiere took place at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on December 9, 2024, [40] and was released in the United States on December 20, 2024. [10] It was previously scheduled for release on July 5, 2024, but was delayed to its current date due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. [23] [24]

Reception

Box office

As of January 20,2025, Mufasa: The Lion King has grossed $209.8 million in the United States and Canada, and $382.2 million in other territories, for a worldwide gross of $592 million. [5] [4]

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. [2] After making $13.3 million on its first day (including $3.3 million from Thursday night previews), weekend estimates were lowered to $36–38 million. [3] It went on to debut to $35.4 million, finishing second behind Sonic the Hedgehog 3. [41] [42] In its second weekend, the film retained second place, grossing $36.8 million. [43] [44] In its third weekend, it replaced Sonic the Hedgehog 3 at first position at the domestic box office, crossing the $150 million mark. [45] [46] 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. [47]

In the United Kingdom and Ireland, the film made £ 4.4 million ( US$ 6 million) in its opening weekend. [48] In India, the film has made more than ₹ 130 crore (US$15 million) within 2 weeks of its release. [49]

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 57% of 202 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.8/10.The website's consensus reads: "Barry Jenkins' deft hand and Lin-Manuel Miranda's music go some way towards squaring the Circle of Life in Mufasa, but this fitfully soulful story is ill-served by its impersonal, photorealistic animation style." [50] Metacritic , which uses a weighted average , assigned the film a score of 56 out of 100, based on 51 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews. [51] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A–" on an A+ to F scale, while those polled by PostTrak gave it an 85% positive score. [3]

Several publications said the film's animation was an improvement over the 2019 Lion King remake. [52] [53] [54] Matt Zoller Seitz of RogerEbert.com gave the film 3+1⁄2 stars out of four, writing it is a "technological step up" from the remake, in which it finds "new ways to make the creatures expressive and emotionally available to us while also somehow convincing us that they are indeed animals, whose every talon, whisker, and hair seems as real as imagery in a nature documentary." [52] Maureen Lee Lenker for Entertainment Weekly wrote the animation was "more compelling than the stagnant energy of Favreau's The Lion King, but at times, it feels almost frenzied, as if Jenkins is desperate to prove he can do something interesting with the material." [53] In a five-star review, The Times 's Kevin Maher praised the film's ending as "a special effects extravaganza that's thankfully free from the incoherence that dogged Jon Favreau's Lion King remake in 2019. Jenkins instead keeps everything focused on the drama, the pain of broken fraternal bonds, and families destroyed and rebuilt." [54] However, Bilge Ebiri of Vulture said Mufasa: The Lion King "looks impressive on a technical level, but it makes even less of an impression than its 2019 predecessor. Yes, it will surely make truckloads of money. Artistically speaking, it feels like an enormous wasted opportunity, especially given the talent involved." [55]

The film's screenplay received mixed reviews. [56] [57] [58] [59] Peter Debruge of Variety criticized Timon and Pumbaa's comedic interruptions, writing they make "strangely self-aware cracks about corporate lawyers, script notes and a certain hit song they assume everyone's sick of by now"; overall, he said the narrative approach was "like a mistake, serving mostly to delay and interrupt the main attraction, which is Mufasa's origin story". [56] Entertainment Weekly called Jeff Nathanson's script "lackluster" and said the film tried too hard to "over-explain Simba's world. Not everything needs a backstory, a lesson that Disney could use right about now." [53] Lovia Gyarke of The Hollywood Reporter said the film's pacing "becomes choppier and less coherent. Part of that can be attributed to an overstuffed narrative. Nathanson plumps the story with platitudes and moments that could lead to, well, more franchising." [57]

Lin-Manuel Miranda's songs received mixed reviews. [c] David Fear of Rolling Stone wrote there's "nothing near as earworm-level as 'Hakuna Matata' or majestically overwhelming" as Elton John's original songs, but that Miranda's compositions served "more like he's bending over backwards to complement those earlier karaoke staples." [60] Similarly, Amy Nicholson of the Los Angeles Times wrote "it's hard to call any one song a showstopper. They aren't built for bombast, and none are as in-the-moment earwormy as 'Hakuna Matata'..." [59] Lenker said the songs were "a lackluster outing from the songsmith, with no memorable tracks to speak of". [53] James Berardinelli of ReelViews critiqued the "songs are uniformly forgettable, although that could in part be because the numbers in The Lion King are so memorable. Perhaps Lin-Manuel Miranda was tasked with a thankless job." [58] However, The Times praised the songs, writing Miranda delivered what is "easily his finest film work since the first Moana ". [54]

Filmmaker Robert Eggers cited the movie as one of his favorite films of 2024, saying "It was truly moving to see what Barry Jenkins' singular voice brought to this massive event film." [61]

Accolades

AwardDate of ceremonyCategoryRecipient(s)ResultRef.
Artios Awards February 12, 2025 Outstanding Achievement in Casting - Feature AnimationFrancine Maisler and Molly RosePending [62]
Black Reel Awards February 10, 2025 Outstanding Voice Performance Aaron Pierre Pending [63]
Outstanding Soundtrack Mufasa: The Lion King (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) Pending
Golden Reel Awards February 23, 2025 Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Feature Animation Onnalee Blank, Harry Cohen, Paula Fairfield, Luke Gibleon, Jason W. Jennings, Benjamin L. Cook, Katie Halliday, Ando Johnson, Michael Mitchell, Jessie Pariseau, Roland N. Thai, Vanessa Lapato, Katy Wood, Pietu Korhonen, John Cucci, Gary Hecker, Mike Horton, Heikki Kossi and Dan O'ConnellPending [64]
NAACP Image Awards February 22, 2025 Outstanding Character Voice Performance – Motion PictureAaron PierrePending [65]
Anika Noni Rose Pending
Blue Ivy Carter Pending
Satellite Awards January 26, 2025 Best Visual Effects Audrey Ferrara and Adam ValdezPending [66]
Visual Effects Society Awards February 11, 2025 Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature Adam Valdez, Barry St. John, Audrey Ferrara, Daniel FotheringhamPending [67]
Outstanding Character in a Photoreal Feature Klaus Skovbo, Valentina Rosselli, Eli De Koninck, Amelie Talarmain
(for Taka)		Pending
Emerging Technology AwardCallum James, James Hood, Lloyd Bishop, Bruno Pedrinha
(for "Real-Time Interactive Filmmaking, From Stage to Post")		Pending

Notes

  1. ↑ Original The Lion King themes by Hans Zimmer
  2. ↑ As depicted in The Lion King (2019)
  3. ↑ Attributed to multiple references: [56] [57] [55] [60] [58] [59]

Related Research Articles

<i>The Lion King</i> 1994 American animated film

The Lion King is a 1994 American animated musical coming-of-age drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Buena Vista Pictures Distribution under the Walt Disney Pictures banner. The film was directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff and produced by Don Hahn, from a screenplay written by Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, and Linda Woolverton. The film features an ensemble voice cast that includes Matthew Broderick, Moira Kelly, James Earl Jones, Jeremy Irons, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Niketa Calame, Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, Whoopi Goldberg, Cheech Marin, Rowan Atkinson, and Robert Guillaume. Its original songs were written by composer Elton John and lyricist Tim Rice, with a score by Hans Zimmer. Inspired by African wildlife, the story is modelled primarily on William Shakespeare's stage play Hamlet with some influence from the Biblical stories of Joseph and Moses, and follows a young heir apparent who is forced to flee after his uncle kills his father and usurps the throne. After growing up in exile, the rightful king returns to challenge the usurper and end his tyrannical rule over the kingdom.

<i>The Lion King II: Simbas Pride</i> 1998 animated film

The Lion King II: Simba's Pride is a 1998 American animated direct-to-video musical drama film produced by Walt Disney Video Premiere. It is the sequel to Disney's 1994 animated film, The Lion King, with its plot influenced by William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, and the second installment in The Lion King trilogy.

<i>Timon & Pumbaa</i> (TV series) 1995 American animated television series by Disney

The Lion King's Timon & Pumbaa is an American animated buddy comedy television series produced by Walt Disney Television Animation. It was based on Disney's 1994 animated feature film The Lion King, centering on Timon the meerkat and Pumbaa the warthog as they continue to live by their problem-free philosophy hakuna matata. Compared to most other The Lion King media, the tone of the series is more slapstick comedy-oriented.

<i>The Lion King 1½</i> 2004 animated Disney film

The Lion King 1½ is a 2004 American animated direct-to-video musical comedy film directed by Bradley Raymond, produced by Disneytoon Studios and released on February 10, 2004. The third installment in the Lion King franchise, the film is both a prequel and sidequel to The Lion King (1994), focusing on the supporting characters Timon and Pumbaa. A majority of the voice cast from the first film returns to reprise their roles, including Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella as the voices of Timon and Pumbaa, respectively. The film's structure is inspired by Tom Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, a tragicomedy that tells the story of Hamlet from the point of view of two minor characters. The Lion King 1½ received generally positive reviews from critics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mufasa</span> The Lion King character

Mufasa is a fictional character in Disney's The Lion King franchise. A wise and benevolent lion, he first appears in the 1994 animated film as the King of the Pride Lands and devoted father to Simba, who he is raising to inherit the kingdom. Mufasa is killed by his younger brother, Scar, who murders him to usurp the throne. His death forces Simba into exile, but Mufasa's ghost later appears to an adult Simba, urging him to return home and confront his responsibilities as his rightful heir. Mufasa was voiced by actor James Earl Jones, who portrayed him as an authoritative yet doting father, rather than a strictly regal figure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simba</span> Main character of The Lion King

Simba is a fictional character and the main protagonist of Disney's The Lion King franchise. First appearing as a lion cub in The Lion King (1994), the character flees his homeland when his father, King Mufasa, is killed by his treacherous uncle, Scar, with his uncle additionally deceiving him into believing he was the reason for his father's death. Several years later, Simba returns home as an adult to reconcile his childhood trauma, confronts Scar, whom he learns was his father's murderer, and reclaim his rightful place as King of the Pride Lands after defeating Scar. He subsequently appears in sequels The Lion King II: Simba's Pride and The Lion King 1½. Simba was originally voiced by actors Matthew Broderick and Jonathan Taylor Thomas as an adult and cub, respectively; various actors have voiced the character in sequels, spin-offs, and related media.

<i>The Lion King</i> (musical) Musical

The Lion King is a stage musical with music by Elton John, lyrics by Tim Rice, and a book by Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi, with additional music and lyrics by Lebo M, Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, Julie Taymor, and Hans Zimmer. It is based on the 1994 Walt Disney Animation Studios' film of the same name. Directed by Taymor, the musical features actors in animal costumes as well as giant, hollow puppets. The show is produced by Disney Theatrical Productions.

Nala (<i>The Lion King</i>) Fictional character from The Lion King franchise

Nala is a fictional character in Disney's The Lion King franchise. Introduced in The Lion King (1994), Nala subsequently appears as a less prominent character in The Lion King II: Simba's Pride (1998) and The Lion King 1½ (2004), and serves as a recurring character in The Lion Guard (2015–2019) television series. In the original animated film trilogy, the adult Nala is voiced by American actress Moira Kelly. Young Nala's speaking voice in the original film is provided by actress Niketa Calame, while singers Laura Williams and Sally Dworsky provide the singing voices of young and adult Nala respectively. Nala is introduced as the daughter of an unnamed lion and Sarafina, the best friend of Simba, and ultimately becomes his wife as well as the daughter-in-law of Mufasa and Sarabi and the niece-in-law of Scar by the end of The Lion King. Nala becomes Simba's wife as well as his Queen Consort. Nala is also the mother of Kiara and Kion, and in The Lion King: Six New Adventures, she is the mother of Kopa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timon and Pumbaa</span> Fictional meerkat and warthog duo from Disneys The Lion King franchise

Timon and Pumbaa are an animated meerkat and warthog duo introduced in Disney's 1994 animated feature film The Lion King and its franchise. Timon was played through his many appearances by Nathan Lane, Max Casella, Kevin Schon, Quinton Flynn, Bruce Lanoil in the Wild About Safety shorts and Kingdom Hearts II, while Pumbaa is voiced by Ernie Sabella, and was portrayed by Tom Alan Robbins in the original cast of the Broadway musical. In the CGI remake, the characters are portrayed by Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen, respectively. Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella first came to audition for the roles of the hyenas, but when the producers saw how well they worked together, they decided to cast them as Timon and Pumbaa.

"He Lives in You" is a song written and performed by Lebo M and his South African Choir and co-written by Mark Mancina and Jay Rifkin, originally for Rhythm of the Pride Lands, a 1995 album inspired by the 1994 film The Lion King. It is also performed twice in the stage musical adaptation of The Lion King, first produced in 1997. Furthermore, an abridged version of the song was used for the opening of the 1998 sequel film The Lion King II: Simba's Pride.

There have been seven theme park live adaptations of The Lion King at Disney Parks since the Disney animated feature film The Lion King was released by Walt Disney Animation Studios in 1994. These have included a parade, two theater-in-the-round shows, and four stage shows.

"We Are One" is a song in Disney's 1998 direct-to-video film, The Lion King II: Simba's Pride.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Circle of Life</span> Song from Disneys 1994 animated film The Lion King

"Circle of Life" is a song from Disney's 1994 animated feature film The Lion King. Composed by musician Elton John and composer Hans Zimmer, with lyrics by Tim Rice, the song was performed by Carmen Twillie and Lebo M as the film's opening song. In an interview, Rice said he was amazed at the speed with which John composed: "I gave him the lyrics at the beginning of the session at about two in the afternoon. By half-past three, he'd finished writing and recording a stunning demo." John sang a pop version of the song with the London Community Gospel Choir, which was included in the film's soundtrack and made into a music video.

The Lion King is a Disney media franchise comprising a film series and additional media. The success of animated original 1994 American feature film, The Lion King, directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff, led to a direct-to-video sequel and prequel, a live-action remake in 2019, a prequel/sequel to the 2019 film, a television film sequel, two spin-off television series, three educational shorts, several video games, merchandise, and the third-longest-running musical in Broadway history, which garnered six Tony Awards including Best Musical. The franchise is one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time. The franchise as a whole has EGOT-ed, meaning it has won the four biggest awards of American show business.

Scar (<i>The Lion King</i>) Major antagonist from The Lion King

Scar is a fictional character and the main antagonist of Disney's The Lion King franchise. He was created by screenwriters Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts and Linda Woolverton and animated by Andreas Deja. Scar is introduced in the first film as the younger and envious brother of Mufasa, the ruler of the Pride Lands. Originally first in line to Mufasa's throne, until he is suddenly replaced by Mufasa's son, Simba, Scar decides to lead an army of hyenas in his plot to take the throne by betraying and killing Mufasa and Simba, the latter escapes into exile, ultimately and wrongfully blaming his brother's death on his nephew.

The Lion King is a 1994 animated Disney film.

<i>The Lion Guard</i> 2016 TV series by Ford Riley

The Lion Guard is an American animated television series developed by Ford Riley and based on Disney's 1994 film The Lion King. The series was first broadcast with a television film titled The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar on Disney Channel on November 22, 2015, and began airing as a TV series on January 15, 2016, on Disney Junior. It is the second television series to be based on The Lion King, the first being The Lion King's Timon & Pumbaa (1995–1999). The Lion Guard is a sequel and spin-off to The Lion King, and takes place during the time-gap within the 1998 direct-to-video sequel The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, while the third and final season takes place in parallel with the film's second act, with the final two episodes serving as an epilogue.

<i>The Lion King</i> (2019 film) 2019 American film by Jon Favreau

The Lion King is a 2019 American musical drama film that is a photorealistically animated remake of the 1994 traditionally-animated film The Lion King. Directed by Jon Favreau, written by Jeff Nathanson, and produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Fairview Entertainment, the film stars the voices of Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Alfre Woodard, Billy Eichner, John Kani, John Oliver, Florence Kasumba, Eric André, Keegan-Michael Key, JD McCrary, Shahadi Wright Joseph, with Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, and James Earl Jones. The plot follows Simba, a young lion who must embrace his role as the rightful king of his homeland following the murder of his father, Mufasa, at the hands of his uncle, Scar.

<i>Mufasa: The Lion King</i> (soundtrack) 2024 soundtrack by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Lebo M

The 2024 American animated musical drama film Mufasa: The Lion King has original songs written by Lin-Manuel Miranda and a score composed by Dave Metzger. The film's soundtrack album features seven songs and was released on December 13, 2024, through Walt Disney Records; a deluxe edition released on the same day includes the score and instrumental tracks. Metzger's score was also released on December 20, 2024, as its own digital album. The film is a prequel and sequel to The Lion King (2019), a photorealistically animated remake of The Lion King (1994); Miranda collaborated on the songs with South African composer Lebo M, who was involved with the 1994 film. Production on the album was handled by Miranda, Mark Mancina, and Tom MacDougall.

References

  1. ↑ "Mufasa: The Lion King (PG)". BBFC . Retrieved December 8, 2024.
  2. 1 2 Rubin, Rebecca (December 17, 2024). "'Sonic the Hedgehog 3' to Outrun 'Mufasa' at Domestic Box Office but 'Lion King' Prequel Will Rule Globally". Variety. Retrieved December 18, 2024. The prequel carries a hefty budget north of $200 million, so Disney needs 'Mufasa' to be the mane moviegoing event through the new year to justify that price tag and continue the studio's hot streak of 'Inside Out 2,' 'Deadpool & Wolverine' and "Moana 2.'
  3. 1 2 3 D'Alessandro, Anthony (December 21, 2024). "'Hedgehog' Mauling 'Mufasa' With $70M+ In Pre-Christmas Frame – Saturday AM Box Office Update". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved December 21, 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 "Mufasa: The Lion King – Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  5. 1 2 "Mufasa: The Lion King". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  6. ↑ 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.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "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.
  8. ↑ 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)
  9. ↑ Romano, Nick (December 10, 2024). "How Mufasa pays tribute to James Earl Jones: 'It was something we had to do'". EW.com. Retrieved January 6, 2025.
  10. 1 2 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.
  11. ↑ Palmer, Katie (December 20, 2024). "James Earl Jones Honored in New 'Mufasa: The Lion King' Film Following His Death". Daily Express US. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  12. ↑ 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.
  13. ↑ "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.
  14. ↑ 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.
  15. ↑ 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.
  16. ↑ 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.
  17. 1 2 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.
  18. ↑ 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.
  19. 1 2 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.
  20. ↑ 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.
  21. ↑ @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.
  22. ↑ Burlingame, Russ (September 3, 2024). "Aaron Pierre Says He Learned Lessons in Rebel Ridge He Brought to Mufasa". ComicBook.com . Retrieved September 3, 2024.
  23. 1 2 3 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.
  24. 1 2 3 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.
  25. ↑ 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.
  26. ↑ "Filmography". MPC Film. Archived from the original on May 16, 2022. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
  27. ↑ 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.
  28. ↑ 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.
  29. ↑ 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.
  30. ↑ "Lin-Manuel Miranda Reveals Why He Didn't Return for 'Moana 2'". The Hollywood Reporter . December 10, 2024. Archived from the original on December 11, 2024. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
  31. ↑ "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.
  32. ↑ 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.
  33. ↑ 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.
  34. ↑ 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.
  35. ↑ 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.
  36. ↑ 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.
  37. ↑ Couch, Aaron; Weprin, Alex; Kit, Borys (August 9, 2024). "Disney Unveils Latest from Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm at Star-Packed D23 Panel". The Hollywood Reporter .
  38. ↑ 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.
  39. ↑ 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.
  40. ↑ 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.
  41. ↑ "Mufasa: The Lion King – Opening Weekend". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
  42. ↑ "Domestic 2024 Weekend 51". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  43. ↑ McClintock, Pamela (December 29, 2024). "Box Office: 'Mufasa' Tops Long Christmas Holiday With $63.8M, But 'Sonic 3' Steals the Weekend". The Hollywood Reporter . Eldridge Industries. Archived from the original on December 28, 2024. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  44. ↑ "Domestic 2024 Weekend 52". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  45. ↑ Murphy, J. Kim (January 4, 2025). "Box Office: 'Mufasa' Climbs Above 'Sonic 3' to Lead First Weekend of 2025". Variety. Retrieved January 5, 2025.
  46. ↑ "Domestic 2025 Weekend 1". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved January 8, 2025.
  47. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (January 19, 2025). "Mufasa Leads One Of The Lowest MLK Weekends In A Decade With $15M+ – Sunday Box Office Update". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  48. ↑ Ramachandran, Naman (December 25, 2024). "'Mufasa: The Lion King' Claims Holiday Crown at U.K., Ireland Box Office". Variety. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
  49. ↑ Ghoshal, Sudeshna (January 3, 2025). "Mufasa Box Office: Outroars Godzilla x Kong in India with 129cr in 2 weeks, On the hunt for Deadpool and Wolverine". Pinkvilla. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
  50. ↑ "Mufasa: The Lion King". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved January 17, 2025. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  51. ↑ "Mufasa: The Lion King". Metacritic . Fandom, Inc. Retrieved January 17, 2025.
  52. 1 2 Seitz, Matt Zoller (December 17, 2024). "Film Review: 'Mufasa: The Lion King'". RogerEbert.com. Archived from the original on December 17, 2024. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
  53. 1 2 3 4 Lenker, Maureen Lee (December 17, 2024). "Mufasa: The Lion King review: Disney's live-action prequel is a rather uninspiring thing". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on December 18, 2024. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
  54. 1 2 3 Maher, Kevin (December 17, 2024). "Mufasa: The Lion King review — a dazzling prequel with superb songs". The Times. Archived from the original on December 20, 2024. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
  55. 1 2 Ebiri, Bilge (December 19, 2024). "All the Technological Wizardry in the World Can't Save Mufasa: The Lion King". Vulture. Archived from the original on December 19, 2024. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
  56. 1 2 3 Debruge, Peter (December 17, 2024). "'Mufasa: The Lion King' Review: If Real Beasts Could Talk … Barry Jenkins Pushes Virtual Performances in Impactful Origin Story". Variety. Archived from the original on December 17, 2024. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
  57. 1 2 3 Gyarkye, Lovia (December 17, 2024). "'Mufasa: The Lion King' Review: Barry Jenkins Can't Quite Save Disney's Scattered Prequel". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on December 17, 2024. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
  58. 1 2 3 Berardinelli, James (December 20, 2024). "Mufasa: The Lion King (United States, 2024)". ReelViews. Archived from the original on December 21, 2024. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
  59. 1 2 3 Nicholson, Amy (December 19, 2024). "Review: Unnecessary 'Mufasa' shows the Lion King franchise to be running out of lives". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 20, 2024. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
  60. 1 2 Fear, David (December 17, 2024). "'Mufasa,' or How The Original Lion King Got His Groove On". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on December 18, 2024. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
  61. ↑ O'Flat, Chris (December 30, 2024). "65 Directors Pick Their Favorite Films of 2024". IndieWire. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
  62. ↑ Hall, Margaret (November 1, 2024). "The Outsiders, Stereophonic, Jaja's African Hair Braiding, Water For Elephants, More Nominated for 2025 Artios Awards for Casting". Playbill . Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  63. ↑ Jackson, Angelique (December 19, 2024). "'Nickel Boys' Leads Black Reel Awards Nominees". Variety . Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  64. ↑ Pedersen, Erik (January 6, 2025). "Motion Picture Sound Editors Reveal 2025 MPSE Golden Reel Awards Nominations". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved January 6, 2025.
  65. ↑ Lewis, Hilary (January 7, 2025). "NAACP Image Awards Nominations: 'The Piano Lesson' Leads Film Nods With 14". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved January 7, 2025.
  66. ↑ "2024 Nominees". International Press Academy . Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  67. ↑ Pederson, Erik (January 14, 2025). "VES Awards Nominations: Sandworms, Apes, Felines & Tornadoes Vie For Top Film Prize". Deadline. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.