‘Mufasa’ Seeks His Destiny in ‘Lion King’ Prequel CinemaCon Footage

At CinemaCon 2024, Disney showed off the first footage of Mufasa: The Lion King, the prequel to 2019’s billion dollar-plus sensation, The Lion King. The film follows a young Mufasa, voiced by Aaron Pierre. Kelvin Harrison Jr. will voice Mufasa’s brother, Scar, while Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner, and John Kani are set to reprise their voice roles as Pumbaa, Timon, and Rafiki. The film is due to hit theaters this December.

As reported by Collider’s BrittaDeVore, who was in the room for the Disney presentation, the clip was presented by Barry Jenkins, whowas stoked to share an exclusive look at Mufasa during the final day of CinemaCon. The action-heavy teaser for the legendary lion’s origin story primarily showcased stunning visuals, while also offering a look at the entire animal kingdom, and plenty of stargazing as the titular King of the jungle seeks out his destiny.

Aaron Pierre Wants to Be a New Voice for Mufasa While Honouring James Earl Jones

The previous film, as well as the animated film upon which the movie was based, saw the legendary James Earl Jones voicing the Lion King himself. However, with the film focusing on a young Mufasa, it made sense to recast. During a recording of Collider Forces with Perri Nemiroff at the Collider studio during Sundance back in February, for the TV show Genius: MLK/X, Pierre discussed his role in the movie, and mentioned his intention to show off a different aspect of Mufasa, distinct from the portrayal by Jones. The film will explore Mufasa’s early life prior to Simba’s birth and before he became the established king.

Although specific plot details remain limited, director Barry Jenkins hinted that the narrative would reveal Mufasa’s initial struggles with leadership, illustrating how he evolved into a leader through his experiences in the Pride Lands and support from allies. Given this backstory, introducing a new voice for Mufasa appeared to be an appropriate choice for depicting this earlier phase of his life, despite Pierre’s admiration for Jones as a significant influence.

« Well, first and foremost, I want to acknowledge that James Earl Jones is an enormous inspiration of mine. Massively. And I feel very honored to be walking into this role after him. I think the key difference will be that here we’re exploring Mufasa in a different capacity. When Sir James Earl Jones portrayed him, this is Mufasa in his full capacity, in his rhythm, and I think here we’re exploring Mufasa prior to that point. What does this young lion look like
before
he is who we know him as, and he is discovering his rhythm, how he conducts himself, how he engages with his community and his loved ones? So, I think that’s the key thing. It’s figuring it out. »

Mufasa: The Lion King will premiere in theaters on December 20th.

Mufasa: The Lion King

Simba, having become king of the Pride Lands, is determined for his cub to follow in his paw prints while the origins of his late father Mufasa are explored.

Release Date

December 20, 2024

Director

Barry Jenkins

Main Genre

Drama

Writers

Jeff Nathanson