‘The Lion King’ Gets a Prequel With First ‘Mufasa’ Trailer

Part prequel, part sequel, whatever you call it, the new Disney film Mufasa: The Lion King is definitely a star-studded project.

The film was directed by Oscar winner Barry Jenkins and features new songs by Hamilton and Moana’s Lin-Manuel Miranda. The voice cast includes many returning voices from the “live-action” remake of The Lion King of 2019 including Donald Glover as Simba, Beyonce as Nala, Seth Rogen as Pumbaa, and Billy Eichner as Timon. Plus it has a whole new cast as well including Aaron Pierre as the young Mufasa, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Tiffany Boone, Mads Mikkelsen, and Thandiwe Newton.

Like The Lion King of a few years ago (which grossed $1.6 billion worldwide, hence another movie coming out now) Mufasa is done in a style that resembles live-action animals. (Disney’s press release claims the film was made by “blending live-action filmmaking techniques with photoreal computer-generated imagery.”) You can see the effect for yourself in the first Mufasa trailer below:

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There is a new poster for the film as well.

Here is the film’s official synopsis, which confirms the film takes place in two timelines: One the past of a young Mufasa (Simba’s dad, originally voiced in the 1994 animated Lion King by James Earl Jones) and one after the events of The Lion King featuring Blue Ivy Carter as the voice of Simba and Nala’s daughter Kiara…

“Mufasa: The Lion King” enlists Rafiki to relay the legend of Mufasa to young lion cub Kiara, daughter of Simba and Nala, with Timon and Pumbaa lending their signature schtick. Told in flashbacks, the story introduces Mufasa as an orphaned cub, lost and alone until he meets a sympathetic lion named Taka—the heir to a royal bloodline. The chance meeting sets in motion an expansive journey of an extraordinary group of misfits searching for their destiny—their bonds will be tested as they work together to evade a threatening and deadly foe.

Mufasa: The Lion King premieres in theaters on December 20.