Disney Drops LION KING Prequel Trailer
By Movieguide® Contributor
Disney just gave a first look at the upcoming prequel MUFASA: THE LION KING.
“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,” Disney’s description of the movie reads. “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.”
Director Barry Jenkins said, “What you’ll learn from the story is that Mufasa is who he is … because of the family and the friends that he has, and so I saw myself in that. I thought: ‘This is a really beautiful story to tell.’”
A recently-released trailer for the movie shows the early relationship between brothers Mufasa and Scar, as well as a scene that features a new song, written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, titled “I Always Wanted a Brother.”
Speaking about the song at Disney’s recent D23 showcase, Miranda “said that he was in the middle of writing ENCANTO when he received a screenplay. But, upon reading it, the music began to form in his head in a way that compelled him to take on the project,” according to Deadline.
Movieguide® previously reported on MUFASA: THE LION KING:
A prequel to 2019’s THE LION KING, titled MUFASA: THE LION KING, will arrive in theaters at the end of the year.
The first trailer was released Thursday at the annual CinemaCon in Las Vegas, and director Barry Jenkins spoke about the movie.
“When the script came to me, I was fascinated by watching these complex people dealing with complex emotions. This film explores Mufasa’s rise to become the heroic king that we know,” he said.
Variety reported, “MUFASA: THE LION KING is expected to focus on the early years of the eventual ruler of the animals, as well as his menacing younger brother Scar. The film will feature the voices of Aaron Pierre and Kelvin Harrison Jr. as the younger version of Mufasa (voiced by James Earl Jones in the 1994 film and 2019 remake) and Scar (voiced by Jeremy Irons in the 1994 version and Chiwetel Ejiofor in the 2019 remake).”
New characters and rivals, as well as the beloved Timon and Pumba, are expected to join the scene.
This is not the first “live-action” version of THE LION KING’s characters we have seen — Disney recreated its classic 1994 movie in 2019, which earned a Movieguide® Teddy Bear Award®.
A portion of the Movieguide® review reads:
THE LION KING is very well produced, with amazing graphics and stunning images of African scenery. It’s very much like the original animated movie, pretty much scene for scene. It also has the same great music. THE LION KING has a strong moral, redemptive worldview extolling sacrifice and honor. However, there is some pagan mysticism and scary scenes of animals fighting each other. So, the new LION KING merits caution for younger children.
