The Lion King gets the prequel treatment in Mufasa, The Lion King. As we hinted, Marmalade has a leading role. Just kidding, but we can always hope for a parody!
It’s no surprise to see a prequel of The Lion King coming. We suppose many fans might be cautiously optimistic. But we can all be certain of visually epic scenes in the setting of the Pride Lands of Africa. The teaser (see below) gives us a glimpse, and we are looking forward to seeing more!
Mufasa: The Lion King screenshot via YouTube/ Disney
Of course, the storyline of the 1994 animated Lion King, archetype characters, and memorable music, like Elton’s ‘Circle of Life’ made it a one-of-a-kind classic. It would be an almost impossible task to improve on that one! Yet the 2019 live-action photorealistic CGI remake was one of the most commercially successful movies ever, despite some critical reviews. (1.7 billion!)
Mufasa: The Lion King screenshot via YouTube/ Disney
Mufasa: The Lion King
Five years after the live-action success, technology has rapidly improved, and you can see it in the trailer. Every blade of grass is in glorious detail (see the trailer below). At the same time, we hope the characters will be more emotionally expressive, one of the main complaints about the 2019 film. From the looks of the trailer, they might have made strides in this area too!
Mufasa: The Lion King screenshot via YouTube/ Disney
As we know, AI is rapidly taking over, but there are areas where slick technologies will always fail: feeling! We want to feel and connect with the story like we did in the 90’s animated film. So, we’ll have to paws on a judgment about that until the movie leaps into theaters just before Christmas 2024. Will theaters be packed again?
Mufasa: The Lion King screenshot via YouTube/ Disney
Teaser for Mufasa: The Lion King by Walt Disney Studios:
‘An Expansive Adventure’
From a look at the cast and director Barry Jenkins, we can be sure a great deal of thought, heart, and soul went into this prequel. Also, we’re excited that Beyoncé is back as Queen Nala while her real-life daughter, Blue Ivy, voices her lion cub, Kiara!
“It’s an expansive adventure,” Jenkins said at CinemaCon in LA. “Audiences can expect so many things in this film — an epic story and a comedy with plenty of familiar faces. There are some absolutely hilarious moments and some with extreme gravitas.”
Mufasa: The Lion King screenshot via YouTube/ Disney
As you can guess, the movie focuses on the origin story, the childhood/lion cub days of the orphan and future King Mufasa and Taka, aka Scar. How did Mufasa rise from nothing to becoming a wise and respected King? And what made Scar become his arch-rival who fell into villainy in the pursuit of power over his pride?
Mufasa: The Lion King screenshot via YouTube/ Disney
Reconnecting with The Animal Kingdom
Whether or not Mufasa lives up to the hype, it will certainly remind everyone of the grandeur of the natural world and African wildlife. Today, armed guards often have to protect many of our remaining Big Cats and wildlife. Yet, there is nothing more magnificent and worthy of protecting in the circle of life than our real life wildlife!
Mufasa: The Lion King screenshot via YouTube/ Disney
As Variety put it, Mufasa: The Lion King could be a return to Disney’s early mission from the 60s, connecting people with the animal kingdom. If CGI helps do that, then so much the better! But those early animations with a human touch will always be our favorites.
“If you were never a fan of ‘The Lion King,’ then nothing here will win you over. On the other hand, for those too young ever to have seen it, this could be a life-changing experience, one that strives to create a kind of understanding between audiences and the animal kingdom that Disney once made a regular part of its mission, back in the era of films such as ‘The Legend of Lobo’ and ‘The Incredible Journey.'”
More about Mufasa: The Lion King by y E! News:
