Mufasa: The Lion King Release Date, Cast, Plot, And More Details

Back in 2019, Disney teamed up with "Iron Man" and "The Jungle Book" live-action remake director Jon Favreau to deliver a photo-realistic adaptation of the iconic "The Lion King." One of the most celebrated animated films of all time, 1994's "The Lion King" has become a key asset in Disney's portfolio, emerging as a multi-media franchise that boasts a Tony-winning Broadway musical, a sequel, and several spin-offs. With the 2019 CG remake, Disney and Favreau managed to effectively reintroduce the tragic story of Simba and Mufasa to a new generation. 

Unsurprisingly, audiences embraced the retelling, with the picture grossing over $1.6 billion, standing out as one of 2019's highest-grossing films. The remake largely follows the direction of the original animated film and even features the same songs, though some minor (albeit inconsequential) narrative changes were made. In the Shakespear-inspired remake, an adult Simba (voiced by Donald Glover) seeks revenge against his uncle Scar (voiced by Chiwetel Ejiofor), who murders his father, King Mufasa (voiced by James Earl Jones). While audiences enjoyed the repackaged narrative, critics were mostly mixed on the film, with /Film's Josh Spiegel describing the film as one with a "sense of lifelessness." Box office receipts trumped reviews, with Disney confirming in 2022 that they would be moving forward with a Mufasa-centric film. 

Titled "Mufasa: The Lion King," the film is expected to peel back the layers on one of Disney's most iconic characters, adding further insight into how he became the leader of the Pride Lands. 

While the film has been in production since 2020, Disney formally confirmed and dated the project in 2022 during the company's D23 Expo. The studio has confirmed that "Mufasa: The Lion King" is set to debut on July 5 2024, four years after its predecessor. For Disney, releasing the film in July 2024 is a brilliant move, as it positions the picture to be another summer tentpole that will, hopefully, dominate the box office. 

However, it is possible that the film could miss its release date and be delayed. During the D23 expo, the company debuted exclusive footage of "Mufasa: The Lion King" for attendees, confirming that production was well underway. Despite that, it's unclear if production was, in any way, affected by the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, which didn't allow actors to participate in any projects. Several Disney productions were impacted by the strike, including "Captain America: Brave New World," which moved from early May to late July 2024. 

But seeing as "Mufasa: The Lion King" is a CG-dependent project, it's possible that production was able to move forward without actors. In that case, the Disney film will likely dominate at the box office when it debuts in early July, though it will likely face significant competition from "Minions 4," which releases just two days prior.  

Back in 2020, Deadline described the film as one that focuses on Mufasa's origins, as well as one that explores the mythology of several key characters. Since then, it has been confirmed that iconic characters like Scar, Pumba, Timon, and Rafiki will be appearing in the film. Per the footage screened at D23, Mufasa will be shown as young as a cub. Orphaned and washed away by a flood, Mufasa will come across a pack of lions. From there, he'll be seen ascending to royalty. As a prequel, audiences will see the early days of these prominent characters, including Scar. 

In an interview with Fandango, young Scar voice actor Kelvin Harrison Jr. confirmed that the Mufasa-centric project would also highlight the infamous villain's origin story. "We're going to really get a backstory to Scar," Harrison Jr. teased, before discussing how Scar's arrogance will be explored. "So, it's going to be fun seeing the relationship between Scar and Mufasa," the voice actor continued.

Based purely on this, it would be fair to suggest that the film will accurately pinpoint the divide between the two brothers, and perhaps even show how Mufasa emerges as the King of the Pride Lands. However, the film's director did tell EW that the project will also be set in "the present," so expect contemporary moments... though it's unclear what those will look like. 

Disney has confirmed a key roster of voice actors for "Mufasa: The Lion King," though it's likely that more big names will be announced as the film ramps up its marketing in the coming months. All eyes are on Aaron Pierre, who is set to voice the younger Mufasa. As of this writing, it doesn't seem as if James Earl Jones, who voiced the character in the animated original and remake, will return to reprise his role as Mufasa in any capacity. Pierre made his cinematic debut in M. Night Shyamalan's bonkers horror picture "Old" and has since appeared in "Krypton" as Dev-Em. Audiences also saw the actor in "The Underground Railroad," a project helmed by his "Mufasa: The Lion King" director. 

Kelvin Harrison Jr. will be voicing Mufasa's brother, Scar. The nefarious lion was first voiced by Jeremy Irons in the 90s animated picture and was brought to life by Chiwetel Ejiofor in the 2019 flick. Audiences have witnessed Harrison Jr. on the big screen for nearly a decade, with projects like "12 Years a Slave," "Assassination Nation," and "Waves" under his belt. He recently played the titular role in the acclaimed "Chevalier," successfully breaking out as a leading player. 

Other cast members include Seth Rogen and Billy Eichner, who return to voice the warthog Pumbaa and meerkat Timon, respectively. John Kani will also return to voice the mandrill Rafiki. No word yet on who will voice new characters specifically created for "Mufasa: The Lion King." Beyond that, it's unclear if any other cast members, like Donald Glover or Beyoncé, will return for any "present" sequences. 

Perhaps the most exciting part of "Mufasa: The Lion King" is the creative team behind it. For the upcoming prequel, Disney has roped in Oscar-winner Barry Jenkins to helm the picture. Best known for directing the critically-acclaimed "Moonlight" and "If Beale Street Could Talk," Jenkins is a true once-in-a-generation talent who continues to make major moves in Hollywood. He last directed "The Underground Railroad" miniseries for Prime Video and recently produced "Aftersun," one of 2022's most prominent dramas. 

For Jenkins to direct "Mufasa: The Lion King" is a major move considering the creative has mostly dabbled in smaller, intimate productions. But the creative was immediately drawn to the world of "The Lion King," opening up about his relationship with the franchise at the D23 Expo (via IGN). "I had to make this movie," Jenkins explained. "Because when I was 14 I was raising two nephews and there was a VHS tape that we watched about 95 times in the span of two days. I was thinking about Mufasa and how he becomes great ... Mufasa is great because of the family and friends he has with him."

Jenkins a charming force in Hollywood but one who likes to get work done. In his interview with Fandango, Scar voice actor Kelvin Harrison Jr. gushed about his "Mufasa: The Lion King" director's efficiency. "You better think fast if you're working with Barry," he said, adding that "he's smart as a whip and not messing around." 

Surprisingly, Barry Jenkins, who co-won the Oscar for adapting "Moonlight," won't be penning the upcoming "The Lion King" prequel. Instead, the film is written by Jeff Nathanson, who previously wrote the 2019 Jon Favreau-directed remake. Nathanson's other screenwriting credits include Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales" and Steven Spielberg's "Catch Me If You Can." 

While speaking with EW, Jenkins praised the direction Nathanson was taking "The Lion King" mythos. "And I thought the studio and Jeff Nathanson, who wrote the script, did a great job of really exploring how people become great, how people come to be these mythic figures we look up to," Jenkins said, expressing his enthusiasm for Mufasa's origins. 

The upcoming Disney film will notably be produced by Adele Romanski and Mark Ceryak, two of Jenkins' frequent collaborators. Romanski has produced a number of Jenkins' works throughout the years, including the Best Picture-winning "Moonlight" and "If Beale Street Could Talk." Ceryak also served as an executive producer on "Beale Street" and the miniseries "The Underground Railroad."

It's fantastic that Jenkins was able to bring his frequent collaborators on board for what is, ostensibly, his Hollywood blockbuster debut. While speaking at IFP Week 2017 (via Filmmaker Magazine), Romanski opened up about her creative partnership with Jenkins. "I can't emphasize enough the importance of having someone in your corner who you trust," the future "Mufasa" producer said. 

One of the most recognizable components of "The Lion King" franchise is its musical score. The original film's iconic score was composed by Hans Zimmer, winning the German musician his first Best Original Score Oscar. Later, Elton John was roped in by Disney to helm the music for the award-winning "The Lion King" musical, which continues to make waves both on and off Broadway. For the 2019 remake, director Jon Favreau went back to basics, bringing Zimmer on board to retool his beloved score for a new generation. In addition to Zimmer's involvement, Nala voice actor and pop icon Beyoncé curated an album for the film, titled "The Lion King: The Gift." 

While it remains to be seen if Beyoncé will return in any capacity for "Mufasa: The Lion King," Zimmer is back on board to help the upcoming prequel. The composer will be joined by multi-hyphenate talent Pharell Williams for the upcoming picture — the two previously collaborated for "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" score. Williams also helped produce Zimmer's 2019 rendition of "The Lion King" score, making their upcoming collab even more exciting. Director Barry Jenkins is also bringing in frequent collaborator and "Succession" composer Nicholas Britell to aid Zimmer and Williams. 

And yes, the prequel will be a musical. Jenkins confirmed the news to EW, letting fans know that the spirit of "The Lion King" will very much be present in his Mufasa-centric origin story. "Please expect musical numbers. Really wonderful musical numbers, I'd say," Jenkins teased.