"The Lion King" from 1994 is undeniably one of the best-known and most popular Disney movies of all time. The story around Simba, Mufasa and other characters still inspires numerous viewers today. As we have known for a while, the spin-off "Mufasa: The Lion King" about Simba's iconic father will be released next year. In this Original, you can find out all the latest details about the new Disney film.

Disney can look back on several successes in the field of live-action remakes in recent years. One of the most popular is "The Lion King" live-action movie from 2019, in which they refrained from the cult animation style and instead presented the audience with new and more modern visuals.

This is what Mufasa will probably be about

Based on the information known so far about "Mufasa", we can already conclude a few things about the new film. The live-action adaptation will be a prequel that deals with Mufasa's earlier life in the surroundings of the Pride Rock. The relationship between him and his later enemy brother Scar will play a big role here, and we will learn how the two became archrivals. As revealed by a report from Screenrant in April 2023, Scar will have two sides in the film: On one side, he's the sweetest of lions, and on the other, we'll get to know his extremely cunning nature.

In terms of story, those responsible will probably more or less follow the original book, which, like the original film, was also published in 1994 and bears the title "A Tale of Two Brothers". The 61-page book tells the story of Mufasa and Scar back when they were still young princes and how the evil brother got his eponymous scar. It involves, among other things, a fight with a buffalo. On that day, Taka, as Mufasa's brother was formerly known, died - and Scar was born.

A first impression of the film could already be gathered at the D23 Expo last year. The footage showed the young Mufasa on his way to the Pride Lands. As a child, he was left parentless by a devastating storm surge and was thus on his own much sooner than other members of his species. His brother Scar, who was clearly neglected as a child, will get just as much screentime, as Scar's voice actor Kelvin Harrison Jr. confirmed.

As we know from past statements by director Barry Jenkins, the movie has bigger ambitions than just being a prequel. Not only will the backstory be told, for example, but many scenes from the later storyline of "The Lion King" will also be taken up.

Familiar and New Cast

Alongside Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Scar, "Brother" actor Aaron Pierre will assume the role of the Lion King Mufasa. Timon and Pumbaa are also returning, serving as the story's narrators. They will be dubbed, as in "The Lion King", by Seth Rogen and Bill Eichner. Likewise joining the cast is the ancient and wise shaman Rafiki, who is voiced by South African actor John Kani.

It's worth noting that while new, younger voice actors have been found for Scar and Mufasa, many of the other characters from the 2019 film have not been replaced. This supports director Barry Jenkins' statements that "Mufasa: The Lion King" is not a mere prequel.

Release Date & First Trailer

An exact date for the release of the first trailer is not known yet. So far, only the film sequence, which is not available to the public, has been shown at D23. Assuming that "Mufasa" follows a similar pattern to "The Lion King", we shouldn't expect to see any video material until nine months before the actual release date. Currently, the theatrical release of "Mufasa: The Lion King" is scheduled for July 5, 2024. We will make sure to keep you up to date on further news!