How The Lion King Prequel Will Change Mufasa Teased By Disney Movie Star

Star Aaron Pierre teases how Mufasa: The Lion King will change the titular lion. The upcoming live-action prequel will follow Simba’s father in his early days. Portrayed by James Earl Jones in the original Disney animated film and its 2019 CGI remake, Pierre will take over as the wise king of the Lionlands in the prequel. He previously appeared in the M. Night Shyamalan film Old and starred alongside Saoirse Ronan and Paul Mescal in Garth Davis’ sci-fi thriller, Enemy. Most recently, he played Malcolm X in the National Geographic docu-drama Genius: MLK/X.

Talk with ColliderPierre teases the new approach he took to playing Mufasa in The Lion King prequel. He explains how this could change the way the public perceives Mufasa. Find out what Pierre had to say about his approach to Mufasa: The Lion King below:

“Well, first and foremost, I want to acknowledge that James Earl Jones is a huge inspiration of mine. Massively. And I feel very honored to take on this role after him. I think the main difference will be that we’re here exploring Mufasa in a different capacity. When Sir James Earl Jones portrayed him, it’s Mufasa in his full capacity, in his full capacity, and I think here we’re exploring Mufasa before that point. What does this young lion look like Before he is who we know him to be, and he discovers his rhythm, how he behaves, how he engages with his community and his loved ones? So, I think that’s the main thing. It’s about understanding it.”

Related

Disney’s live-action remake woes mean Mufasa likely to set unwanted Lion King record

Disney is hoping to capitalize on the success of The Lion King franchise with its prequel Mufasa, but the film could set an unwanted record for the series.

What to expect from Mufasa: The Lion King

Mufasa: The Lion King will feature familiar faces from Disney’s 2019 CGI remake. Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen return to reprise their roles as meerkat and warthog duo Timon and Pumbaa, respectively. John Kani also returns as Rafiki, a mandrill and shaman in Mufasa. Ironically, that of Pierre Genius: MLK/X his co-star Kelvin Harrison Jr., who stars opposite him as Martin Luther King Jr. in the drama, also stars opposite him as Taka in He’s a foolthe lion who grows up to become the evil Scar.

He’s a fool has a lot to discover in the world of The Lion King, and I will hopefully be able to answer a few questions. Above all, it will explore Mufasa’s youth, perhaps revealing who his and Scar’s parents were. In turn, he will discover how their feud began and why it led Scar to resent Mufasa, thus leading him down a dark path. This could also explain the unusual alliances between Mufasa and Zazu, and Scar and the hyenas, who are both natural predators, but share a rare bond.

Due to the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes, Mufasa: The Lion King has been delayed for a December 2024 release. However, it is unlikely to achieve the same box office success as its 2019 predecessor. The Lion King, which grossed $1.6 billion worldwide. Prequels have a history of struggling to reach the same numbers as their predecessors, and Disney’s recent live-action remakes have failed. However, Mufasa’s story has always been a mystery to viewers, and as a fan-favorite character, Mufasa: The Lion King could be a surprise hit.

Source: Collider

Mufasa: The Lion King

Mufasa: The Lion King is a prequel to the live-action remake of Disney’s original animated film, The Lion King. The film will follow Mufasa in his early days; Further plot details are currently under wraps. The film will likely explore Mufasa and Scar’s relationship and how it became so strained. In the film, Timon and Pumbaa will return, while Billy Eicher and Seth Rogen will reprise their roles.

Release date

December 20, 2024

Director

Barry Jenkins

Cast

Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Aaron Pierre, John Kani

Writers

Jeff Nathanson

Franchise

Disney