After the success of the beloved The Lion King 2019 live-action adaptation, the prequel Mufasa: The Lion King is set to receive the same Disney treatment.
Oscar-winning director Barry Jenkins (Moonlight) will be directing Mufasa: The Lion King, which will tell the story of how Simba's father, Mufasa rose from a lion cub to becoming king of the Pride Lands.
Barry revealed at Disney's D23 Expo to Empire that: "This is a story about how Mufasa rose to royalty. He was born an orphaned cub, and in this film we get to explore his journey into the circle of life.
"Mufasa is who he is because of the people he has around him, and I saw that in myself. I had to make this movie. Because when I was 14 I was raising two nephews and there was a VHS tape that we watched about 95 times in the span of two days."
Here's everything we know about Mufasa: The Lion King...
When will Mufasa: The Lion King be released?
After teasing the movie at D23, Disney has announced that the Mufasa: The Lion King release date is going to be July 5, 2024.
Mufasa: The Lion King. 2024. pic.twitter.com/7rhorK8oLFSeptember 9, 2022
What is the plot of Mufasa: The Lion King?
While the specific plot is being kept under wraps, we know that it will focus on the titular lion Mufasa's rise to being one of the greatest leaders of the Pride Lands, which will be told through the eyes of fan-favorites Timon, Pumbaa and Rafiki.
The prequel will also tell the origin story of Mufasa and his brother Taka — who later becomes known as the villain Scar.
Who is in the cast of Mufasa: The Lion King?
Currently, the only confirmed actors starring in Mufasa: The Lion King are Aaron Pierre (Old) as Mufasa and Kelvin Harrison Jr, who recently played blues musician B. B. King in Baz Luhrmann's Elvis, as Scar/Taka.
However, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen are apparently set to return as the much-loved meerkat Timon and warthog Pumbaa.
Is there a trailer for Mufasa: The Lion King?
There is currently no trailer out for Mufasa: The Lion King. However, attendees at the Disney D23 exhibition were shown footage of the movie which showed Pride Rock with a voiceover of Rafiki along with a melody from the iconic Lion King soundtrack.
In the Pride Lands, baby Mufasa is then swept away in a flood, which could be the potential birth of his orphan story and how he ends up in the ruthless world alone.
