Credit: Edited by Inside the MagicMufasa: The Lion King (2024) is one of the several upcoming projects for the Walt Disney Company next year. As maligned as the live-action remakes have been, could this one flip the script?
It’s no secret that Disney’s remakes have had a generally negative stigma about them, especially if they deviate from Walt’s original vision. That being said, retelling a classic Disney story can work if given the proper treatment.
Related: James Earl Jones Could Be Coming Back to Voice Darth Vader on Disney+
Although a remake will rarely surpass the original, revisiting The Lion King might actually have more merit than some might think. As unusual as it might sound to release a sequel to a remake of an animated masterpiece, Disney might be onto something with Mufasa.
Mufasa: Long Live the Lion King
The upcoming film is set to be a prequel to the 2019 film, essentially separating it from its animated inspiration, and it will explore the backstory of Mufasa, Scar, and the rest of the Pridelands. While the Disney live-action remakes have been criticized for lack of originality in the past, this approach would allow the filmmakers to tell a different story leading up to the one fans already know by heart.
Related: Meet Disney’s New Scar and Mufasa. ‘The Lion King’ Prequel Casts Its Leads!
Jon Favreau’s remake of the original animated feature was a visually impressive and near shot-for-shot recreation, but it was a remarkable success at the box office. As of writing, The Lion King (2019) is currently the fourth highest-grossing movie under the Disney banner, with a global profit of $1,646,106,779, beating out the animated original by droves.
Additionally, the original animated feature from 1994 undoubtedly has legions of dedicated fans who are more than happy to return to Pride Rock in any form. A film that would expand on their favorite characters will only generate further interest in the legends and lore of The Lion King.
Related: Would Simba Have Been the Next Scar If Mufasa Survived?
Only the bare necessities of the film, such as its cast, crew, and basic plot line, have been revealed, but Disney definitely has the right ingredients at work. Along with John Kani, Billy Eichner, and Seth Rogan reprising their roles as Rafiki, Timon, and Pumbaa from the 2019 film, the cast is led by Aaron Pierre (The Underground Railroad) in the titular role as Mufasa, and Kelvin Harrison Jr. (It Comes at Night) plays opposite him as his twisted brother, Scar.
Mufasa is set to release in 2024, along with several other sequels and prequels from the Walt Disney Company. Inside the Magic will update information as more details are released.
Will Mufasa restore the kingdom of Pride Rock? Tell Inside the Magic what you think in the comments below!