Here at last is The Lion King! The much awaited Disney prequel, directed by Barry Jenkins of Moonlight, imagines Simba’s father’s adventure and his ascent to power. The narrative is based on Jon Favreau’s 2019 adaptation of Disney’s 1994 animated masterpiece, The Lion King.
The vast forest where the animal kingdom lives in peace is shown in the opening scene of the trailer. It provides a taste of Mufasa’s travels and the experiences he has with the people he meets along the way, as well as some adventures that influence his path. Beyoncé Knowles-Carter as Nala, Billy Eichner as Timon, Donald Glover as Simba, John Kani as Rafiki, and Seth Rogen as Pumbaa are among the cast members.
The official logline is as follows: “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.”
Lin-Manuel Miranda has written the film’s songs. The 2019 film was directed by Jon Favreau from a screenplay by Jeff Nathanson.
Reacting to the trailer, a fan wrote: “This looks quite impressive and promising than its predecessor…” A second fan commented, “Hopefully, with Barry Jenkins directing this, it will be something special. Here’s hoping.” A comment read, “I guess from this trailer we see where Simba got his adventurous vibe from. I thought he was just curious but now it feels like he got it from his father.” “I’m actually surprised. The environments look more beautiful and more colorful and the animals have more expression and life into them. I’m pretty excited,” said another.
Mufasa: The Lion King hits theatres on December 20.
