For many fans of the original Lion King franchise, the upcoming Mufasa movie excites fans the most. Mufasa: The Lion King was directed by Barry Jenkins, and was written by Jeff Nathanson.

In September of 2020, the announcement of this film being in development was released to the public, causing a stir for many individuals. The film’s plot focuses on Mufasa during his early years and is centred around the events before the original first Lion King film. The film’s title was officially released in 2022 and in 2023 December. Rafiki, a humorous baboon many loved from the first film, would be telling the story of Mufasa to his granddaughter Kiara.

A preview of the film was shown to the attendees of the D23, and it revealed that the story is told in flashbacks with Mufasa being an orphaned cub, finding his way to becoming the king after meeting a lion named Taka- who many know as Scar- who is heir to the royal bloodline. The first teaser trailer was released on April 29, 2024. Although many fans were excited by this upcoming release, the upcoming film is already facing much criticism, with people labelling it as useless.

Many think that Mufasa’s story should be left unknown to keep the original grief felt by many after his sudden and impactful death in the first film. Others assume this new film will bring even more depth to Mufasa’s storyline and character development. The film also delves into the complicated relationship between Scar and Mufasa which ultimately adds multiple layers to their difficult relationship.

It was also revealed that there would be seven new characters introduced to the film and cast. In terms of casting, Aaron Pierre was announced to be the voice of young Mufasa. Cast members returning to reprise their roles include Rafiki, Timon, and Pumbaa. The Mufasa movie is set to be released on December 20, 2024, despite originally being set to release July of 2024.