Mufasa Teases Action, Adventure, and Toothy Grins

Mufasa‘s rubric suggests it’s a prequel, going backmost successful clip to research what Simba’s begetter got up to earlier guiding his young lad successful The Lion King. And of people that volition beryllium the bulk of it—but Barry Jenkins‘ photo-realistic CGI animated musical besides has a framework story, acceptable during Simba’s royal rule, successful which the aging Rafiki tells Mufasa’s communicative to Simba’s young daughter, Kiara. (That’s however Disney made definite fan-favorites Timon and Pumbaa would person places successful the cast.) As Mufasa‘s merchandise inches toward the “one period to go” mark, Disney is ramping up the promo with a caller featurette and immoderate colorful quality posters.

First up, we get a peek wrong Jenkins’ originative process with “Mufasa: The Lion King—Visionary Storyteller,” which shows the Oscar-winning manager hard astatine enactment connected his follow-up to Disney’s 2019 blockbuster The Lion King, itself a re-do of the studio’s beloved 1994 animated classic. “Oh my lord, however fortunate Disney is,” says Rafiki histrion John Kani, speaking astir Jenkins’ talent, and we thin to agree.

It’s a sentiment shared by everyone successful this video, from prima Aaron Pierre to songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda, and beyond. (It’s mutual, arsenic an excited Jenkins calls his co-workers “the formed of my dreams.”) Plus, there’s each kinds of sweeping footage of animals (some friendlier than others) moving and leaping crossed gorgeous landscapes. Check it out!

Disney besides shared immoderate caller posters that you should expect to commencement seeing plastered astir soon. Clockwise from apical left, that’s Rafiki and Zazu; young Mufasa; the lion brothers Mufasa and Taka (who aboriginal became known arsenic Scar); Kiara; and Timon and Pumbaa.

Mufasa: The Lion King boasts a stacked cast—including respective performers that are reprising their roles from Jon Favreau’s The Lion King. Aaron Pierre (who was conscionable formed successful DC’s Lanterns series) stars arsenic Mufasa, with Kelvin Harrison Jr. arsenic Taka, John Kani (Black Panther‘s T’Chaka) arsenic Rafiki, Seth Rogen arsenic Pumbaa, Billy Eichner arsenic Timon, Tiffany Boone arsenic Sarabi, Donald Glover arsenic Simba, Mads Mikkelson arsenic Kiros, Thandiwe Newton arsenic Eshe, Lennie James arsenic Obasi, Blue Ivy Carter arsenic Kiara, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter arsenic Nala, Preston Nyman arsenic Zazu, Anika Noni Rose (The Princess and the Frog) arsenic Afia, and Keith David arsenic Masego.

Mufasa: The Lion King hits theaters December 20.

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