Mufasa

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]

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, and whose voice is heard briefly during the opening titles, having died before the film’s release.[8][9]

Mufasa: The Lion King premiered on December 9, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, and was distributed in the United States by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures on December 20.[10] The film received mixed reviews from critics and has grossed $721 million, making it the sixth-highest-grossing film of 2024.

Plot
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, with Timon and Pumbaa providing color commentary in between.

Mufasa and his parents, Masego and Afia, search for the mythical Milele. A flood sweeps Mufasa into a wetland where he meets Taka, a royal cub. They are attacked by young crocodiles until Taka’s mother, Queen Eshe, intervenes. She accepts Mufasa, but Taka’s father, King Obasi, criticizes him for befriending an outsider. Obasi holds a race between his son and Mufasa to determine whether the latter can join his pride. When Mufasa lags due to exhaustion, Taka throws the race so he can stay.

As Mufasa and Taka grow up, they form a strong bond, though Obasi, a lazy king, continually tries to keep Taka with him and orders Mufasa to stay with the lionesses. Eshe teaches Mufasa to hunt and use his senses, among other life skills. While out hunting one day, two white lions attack them. Eshe takes a hit, so Mufasa jumps in to help her. He ends up killing one, and together they force the other to flee. Taka witnesses the attack but retreats in fear. The survivor informs Kiros, leader of the Outsiders, a pride composed of lions who were outcasted from their respective prides for their white fur. Kiros seeks vengeance for the death of his son, whom Mufasa killed, and approaches Obasi’s pride. Sensing them coming, Mufasa warns them, and is ordered to flee with Taka. When they arrive, the Outsiders slaughter Obasi, Eshe, and the rest of their pride, and force Mufasa and Taka to escape over a waterfall and into a river.

When Mufasa and Taka reach land, they encounter a stray lioness named Sarabi (whose own family was killed by the Outsider pride), her hornbill scout Zazu, and, eventually, 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. The Outsiders continue to pursue them, so Sarabi causes an elephant stampede to distract and disorient the Outsiders, allowing the group to escape. She is knocked unconscious after falling into the stampede’s path, causing Mufasa to save her. Out of loyalty, he lies and tells Sarabi that Taka saved her.

The group heads through a snowy mountain range following Rafiki’s direction, with Zazu covering their tracks in the snow. 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 lost and hungry 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 and prepares to finish him off. Seeing his brother exhausted and realizing what he has done, a remorseful Taka intervenes, causing Kiros to slash Taka’s eye, leaving a scar. An earthquake occurs, causing Mufasa and Kiros to fall into a cave lake. Kiros attempts to drown Mufasa but a falling rock allows Mufasa to send Kiros plummeting to his death, and he swims away to safety. Mufasa has trouble getting out of the water but is again saved by Taka, who narrowly resists the temptation to drown him.

Mufasa and Sarabi exit the cave together as the animals celebrate their victory. The animals, in gratitude for Mufasa uniting them against the Outsiders, make him King of Milele. 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 refuses to refer to Taka by his name anymore; Taka renames himself “Scar”. Mufasa then ascends upon the newly formed Pride Rock and roars triumphantly, with Scar watching from behind.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]

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, and whose voice is heard briefly during the opening titles, having died before the film’s release.[8][9]

Mufasa: The Lion King premiered on December 9, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, and was distributed in the United States by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures on December 20.[10] The film received mixed reviews from critics and has grossed $721 million, making it the sixth-highest-grossing film of 2024.

Plot
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, with Timon and Pumbaa providing color commentary in between.

Mufasa and his parents, Masego and Afia, search for the mythical Milele. A flood sweeps Mufasa into a wetland where he meets Taka, a royal cub. They are attacked by young crocodiles until Taka’s mother, Queen Eshe, intervenes. She accepts Mufasa, but Taka’s father, King Obasi, criticizes him for befriending an outsider. Obasi holds a race between his son and Mufasa to determine whether the latter can join his pride. When Mufasa lags due to exhaustion, Taka throws the race so he can stay.

As Mufasa and Taka grow up, they form a strong bond, though Obasi, a lazy king, continually tries to keep Taka with him and orders Mufasa to stay with the lionesses. Eshe teaches Mufasa to hunt and use his senses, among other life skills. While out hunting one day, two white lions attack them. Eshe takes a hit, so Mufasa jumps in to help her. He ends up killing one, and together they force the other to flee. Taka witnesses the attack but retreats in fear. The survivor informs Kiros, leader of the Outsiders, a pride composed of lions who were outcasted from their respective prides for their white fur. Kiros seeks vengeance for the death of his son, whom Mufasa killed, and approaches Obasi’s pride. Sensing them coming, Mufasa warns them, and is ordered to flee with Taka. When they arrive, the Outsiders slaughter Obasi, Eshe, and the rest of their pride, and force Mufasa and Taka to escape over a waterfall and into a river.

When Mufasa and Taka reach land, they encounter a stray lioness named Sarabi (whose own family was killed by the Outsider pride), her hornbill scout Zazu, and, eventually, 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. The Outsiders continue to pursue them, so Sarabi causes an elephant stampede to distract and disorient the Outsiders, allowing the group to escape. She is knocked unconscious after falling into the stampede’s path, causing Mufasa to save her. Out of loyalty, he lies and tells Sarabi that Taka saved her.

The group heads through a snowy mountain range following Rafiki’s direction, with Zazu covering their tracks in the snow. 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 lost and hungry 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 and prepares to finish him off. Seeing his brother exhausted and realizing what he has done, a remorseful Taka intervenes, causing Kiros to slash Taka’s eye, leaving a scar. An earthquake occurs, causing Mufasa and Kiros to fall into a cave lake. Kiros attempts to drown Mufasa but a falling rock allows Mufasa to send Kiros plummeting to his death, and he swims away to safety. Mufasa has trouble getting out of the water but is again saved by Taka, who narrowly resists the temptation to drown him.

Mufasa and Sarabi exit the cave together as the animals celebrate their victory. The animals, in gratitude for Mufasa uniting them against the Outsiders, make him King of Milele. 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 refuses to refer to Taka by his name anymore; Taka renames himself “Scar”. Mufasa then ascends upon the newly formed Pride Rock and roars triumphantly, with Scar watching from behind.