Mufasa: The Lion King - Release Date, Cast & Everything We Know

Mufasa: The Lion King will continue the beloved Disney live-action Lion King franchise with a prequel about the rise of Mufasa and how he became the powerful and wise ruler who taught Simba everything he knew. Following the success of Jon Favreau's 2019 live-action remake of The Lion King, Oscar winner Barry Jenkins will direct this Mufasa prequel that will look at Simba's father before he became king of Pride Rock as well as the beginning of his intense relationship with his brother Scar.

Serving as a live-action version of the beloved 1994 animated classic, The Lion King became Disney's biggest remake yet when it debuted in 2019, grossing $1.6 billion worldwide despite mixed reviews, so it wasn't surprising that Disney is continuing the franchise. Disney's live-action remakes have been a huge hit for the studio over the past decade, but Mufasa: The Lion King marks the first time the House of Mouse has created an original movie based on one.

Latest Mufasa: The Lion King News

Character Details Teased By The Movie's Star

As the high-profile Disney release gets closer to its premiere, the latest news reveals how the Lion King prequel will change the characters. Speaking candidly about the movie, star Aaron Pierre not only gushed about his love of original Mufasa voice actor James Earl Jones, but also hinted at his approach to the titular role. "I think the key difference will be that here we're exploring Mufasa in a different capacity" Pierre explained, "What does this young lion look like before he is who we know him as".]

Mufasa: The Lion King Release Date

The Live-Action Lion King Prequel Is Coming Out In 2024

The release date for Mufasa: The Lion King has been set for December 20, 2024, by Disney. A release date of July 5th was originally announced alongside several other upcoming Disney movies at the 2022 Disney Expo. However, this date was pushed back in November 2023. It's expected that the live-action Lion King prequel will have a theatrical release, although nothing has been confirmed yet.

Mufasa: The Lion King Cast

What Voice Actors Are In The Lion King Prequel?

The cast of Mufasa: The Lion King will see some new voice actors playing younger versions of characters from The Lion King. While James Earl Jones (Star Wars) played Mufasa in both the original animated The Lion King and its live-action remake, the role of young Mufasa will be passed on to Aaron Pierre (Old). Likewise, after Jeremy Irons (The Borgias) played Scar in the original and Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave) did so in the remake, Kelvin Harrison Jr. (Chevalier) will take over as the younger Scar for the prequel.

Though Mufasa: The Lion King takes place mostly before the events of The Lion King, Timon and Pumbaa will narrate the movie with Seth Rogen (Knocked Up) and Billy Eichner (Bros) returning to voice them. John Kani (Murder Mystery) is also confirmed to be returning as Rafiki while director Barry Jenkins has hinted that there will be other familiar characters featured in the live-action Lion King prequel.

Mufasa: The Lion King Story Details

What Is The Live-Action Lion King Prequel About?

Though specific details of the plot of the live-action Lion King prequel aren't known, it will be focused on Mufasa's backstory. Any such story would likely include his early life at Pride Rock, including his relationship with Scar and how the two brothers became great rivals, as well as perhaps further fleshing out the story of how Scar gets his scar. With the reveal of Scar being the "sweetest young lion" by Harrison, the audience is sure to be privy to a look at his path to villainy as well. It can also show Mufasa developing a relationship with Sarabi, and presumably him being crowned King.

The new Lion King movie is not just a prequel according to director Barry Jenkins, and it has been suggested that the movie's story will be told similarly to The Godfather Part II's, with the two timelines being told parallel to each other. This means that Mufasa: The Lion King could give a glimpse at Simba's new position as king of Pride Rock while also showing how his father ascended to that role.

Release Date: 2024-12-20