New Delhi:
Disney recently released a trailer Mufasa: The Lion Kingprequel to the 2019 photorealistic show The Lion King. Directed by Oscar winner Barry Jenkins and written by Jeff Nathanson, the prequel to Jon Favreau’s hit remake delves deep into the origin story of one of the most iconic characters in the Disney universe – Mufasa. The trailer lasts just over two minutes and offers a fascinating glimpse into Mufasa’s journey from orphaned puppy to revered king of the Pride Lands. The story is cleverly framed by Rafiki, a wise mandrill and shaman of the Pride Lands, as he tells the legend of Mufasa and his brother Scar to Kiara, Simba and Nala’s daughter. The moment Rafiki opens with “It’s time to tell you a story, a story about a puppy not much bigger than you,” viewers are drawn into a rich backstory that has long been hinted at but never fully explored.
The trailer also contains a dose of the beloved humor we’ve come to expect, with Timon and Pumbaa looking playful. Timon cheekily asks, “So just to be clear, we’re not in this story?” followed by Pumbaa’s good-natured grunt, “We all have lots of stories. Tell one of them.”
As the trailer transitions into a flashback, we see a dramatic turn in young Mufasa’s life when he meets Taka, a lion who welcomes him into the royal lineage. This relationship sets the stage for the brothers’ adventure and their eventual confrontation with their formidable enemy Kiros. The trailer hints at the complex dynamics that will eventually lead to Taka’s transformation into Scar, the infamous villain who will one day betray Mufasa.
Aaron Pierre and Kelvin Harrison Jr. lend their voices to the younger incarnations of Mufasa and Scar, and James Earl Jones reprises his role as the voice of Mufasa. Jeremy Irons and Chiwetel Ejiofor previously voiced Scar in the 1994 original and the 2019 remake.
Returning from the 2019 show are John Kani as Rafik, Seth Rogen as Pumbaa, Billy Eichner as Timon, Donald Glover as Simba and Beyonce Knowles-Carter as Nala. New additions to the ensemble include Tiffany Boone as Sara, Kagiso Lediga as Young Rafik, and Preston Nyman as Zazu. Notable newcomers are Mads Mikkelsen as Kiros, Thandiwe Newton as Taka’s mother Eshe and Lennie James as Taka’s father Obas.
Original 1994 The Lion King grossed $960 million worldwide, while the 2019 remake topped $1.6 billion at the box office.
