Mufasa: The Lion King
Movie Details:
| Based on | Disney’s The Lion King by Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts & Linda Woolverton |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Animation, Adventure, Drama, Family, Fantasy, Musical |
| Release Date | December 20, 2024 |
| Running Time | 2hr |
| Age rating | PG |
| Voice Cast | Aaron Pierre, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner, Tiffany Boone, Donald Glover, Mads Mikkelsen, Thandiwe Newton, Lennie James, Anika Noni Rose, Blue Ivy Carter, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter |
| Directed by | Barry Jenkins |
| Written by | Jeff Nathanson |
| Produced by | Adele Romanski, Mark Ceryak |
| Cinematography by | James Laxton |
| Edited by | Joi McMillon |
| Music by | Dave Metzger (score), Lin-Manuel Miranda (songs) |
| Casting By | Francine Maisler |
| Production Design by | Mark Friedberg |
| Art Direction by | Jared Patrick Gerbig, Irena Jacobs, Angran Li, Sydnie Ponic, Gary Warshaw, Dan Webster |
| Production Companies | Walt Disney Pictures |
| Distributor | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
Voice Cast & Characters:
- Aaron Pierre as Mufasa
- Braelyn Rankins voices Mufasa as a cub
- Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Taka
- Theo Somolu voices Taka as a cub
- John Kani as Rafiki
- Kagiso Lediga as young Rafiki
- Seth Rogen as Pumbaa
- Billy Eichner as Timon
- Tiffany Boone as Sarabi
- Donald Glover as Simba
- Mads Mikkelsen as Kiros
- Thandiwe Newton as Eshe
- Lennie James as Obasi
- Blue Ivy Carter as Kiara
- Beyoncé Knowles-Carter as Nala
- Preston Nyman as Zazu
- Anika Noni Rose as Afia
- Keith David as Masego
- Joanna Jones
- Folake Olowofoyeku
- Thuso Mbedu
- Sheila Atim
- Abdul Salis
- Dominique Jennings
Storyline:
“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.—Walt Disney Studios
About Mufasa: The Lion King Movie:
Mufasa: The Lion King is an upcoming American animated adventure drama film directed by Barry Jenkins and produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Pastel Productions. It is photorealistic animated and both a prequel and sequel to the 2019 adaptation of the 1994 film The Lion King.
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, and Blue Ivy Carter—the acting debut of Blue Ivy Carter, who is the real-life daughter of Beyoncé.
The prequel film will not be a sequel remake of The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride (1998), the direct-to-video sequel to the original movie.
Development of a prequel to The Lion King was confirmed in September 2020. The film’s official title, Mufasa: The Lion King, was revealed in September 2022 at the D23 Expo announcement. Production on the film slowed down in July 2023 due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.
In June 2022, Nicholas Britell was hired to serve as composer for the score on the film’s soundtrack, after having previously collaborated with Jenkins on various projects.
In September 2022, at D23, the first footage was played exclusively to attendees, thus revealing that production had been underway. Moving Picture Company is returning to provide the visual effects. In July 2023, production on the film slowed down due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.
Mufasa: The Lion King is scheduled to be released in theaters on December 20, 2024, by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It was previously scheduled for release on July 5, 2024, but was delayed to its current date due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.