Disney’s Mufasa Movie Features A Refreshing Change That Wasn’t Possible In 2019’s Lion King Remake

Mufasa: The Lion King, an upcoming musical-meets-drama prequel to Disney’s The Lion King, has a distinct advantage over the 2019 remake: It isn’t beholden to an earlier film. Notably, the 2019 photorealistic animated remake was largely a shot-for-shot recapitulation of Disney’s 1994 classic. From the presentation of baby Simba at Pride Rock to the young adult Simba’s “Hakuna Matata” romp through the jungle with Timon and Pumba, some of the ’90s film’s most iconic scenes were replicated with incredible precision for the remake. Unfortunately, this shot-for-shot approach hinders artistic creativity and narrative innovation.

Directed by Barry Jenkins (Moonlight) and penned by Jeff Nathanson (Catch Me If You Can), the Mufasa prequel draws from both The Lion King and its 1998 sequel, The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride. The movie reportedly uses a unique framing device: Rafiki (John Kani), the wise shaman of the Pride Lands, relays the story of a young Mufasa to the late king’s granddaughter, Kiara. Timon (Billy Eichner) and Pumba (Seth Rogen) will join Simba and Nala’s daughter to provide humorous commentary. Despite relying on classic characters, Disney’s Lion King prequel has a huge advantage over the 2019 movie.

Disney’s Mufasa Prequel Movie Sounds Like It Will Explore More Of The Pride Lands

Mufasa Has The Chance To Deviate From The Lion King’s Setting

Announced in 2022, Mufasa‘s production was delayed as a result of the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, so soon-to-be viewers are finally getting early glimpses of finished footage. A Mufasa teaser trailer was screened CinemaCon 2024, revealing some surprising tidbits. The teaser begins with notes from the forever-iconic “Circle of Life,” while a pride of lions trudges through the snow on an icy mountaintop. Rafiki narrates the trailer, noting that Mufasa was born “without a drop of nobility in his blood.” Clearly, Mufasa’s (Aaron Pierre) story isn’t confined to the Pride Lands — nor does it begin there.

By chronicling its titular king’s rise to the top of the Pride Lands hierarchy, Mufasa promises to showcase a variety of different landscapes, from verdant forests and snowy vistas to brilliant waterfalls and windswept grasslands. While the Mufasa teaser trailer hints at a variety of new settings, it does cut back to the Pride Lands — where the bulk of The Lion King franchise unfolds. Unlike other series installments, Mufasa boasts a vast scope, which will help set Mufasa’s backstory apart from his son’s enduring legacy.

The Mufasa Movie Has A Setting Advantage Over 2019’s The Lion King

Mufasa Doesn’t Have The Same Worries As The Lion King Remake

Even though the 2019 Lion King remake was a huge departure from the ’90s version in terms of its photorealistic visuals, its scope was still limited by the original story. For the most part, Disney kept the action to the Pride Lands, hitting familiar story beats in order to capitalize on the audiences’ nostalgia. The key advantage that Mufasa has over 2019’s The Lion King is that it’s breaking entirely new ground. It isn’t beholden to a previous version of its story, allowing Mufasa: The Lion King to explore new and exciting terrain — in terms of setting and story.