Mufasa: The Lion King has been officially announced by Disney.
It is a prequel to the 2019 live-action adaptation of The Lion King.will be directed by Barry Jenkins and tells the story of how Simba’s father, Mufasa, rose from humble beginnings to become the ruler of all lands.
“I had to do this movie,” Jenkins said. “Because when I was 14 I was raising two nephews and there was a VHS tape that we watched like 95 times in the span of two days. I was thinking about Mufasa and how he gets big… I’m not a king, I’m not a king. .. Mufasa is great because of the family and friends he has with him.”
Mufasa: The Lion King. 2024. pic.twitter.com/IkPMk6IDGR
— Walt Disney Studios (@DisneyStudios) September 9, 2022
Jenkins is perhaps best known for writing and directing the 2016 Oscar-winning film Moonlight, starring Trevante Rhodes, Janelle Monáe, and Mahershala Ali. He most recently directed Beale Street Blues, a 2018 romantic drama starring KiKi Layne, Stephan James, and Regina King.
Along with the ad a brand new trailer was shown at Disney’s D23 expowhich gives us an idea of what we can expect from the Lion King prequel.
And it features the return of some fan favorites.
The trailer begins with a voiceover from Rafiki and a melody taken from the famous soundtrack of The Lion King. Swooping through the Pridelands, we see baby Mufasa caught in a flood and swept away by the current…so it looks like this orphaned cub will be forced to navigate this harsh world alone.
Unfortunately, it looks like it will do without the help of our favorite meerkats and warthogs.
Mufasa: The Lion King will premiere sometime in 2024.
It is one of the many news items shown at Disney’s D23, such as the first official look at the real-action remake of Snow White and the Peter Pan & Wendy movie, or the official trailer for Disenchanted.
