Disney live-action remakes have a very mixed history at the Walt Disney Company. Some have been massive box office successes that grossed over $1 billion. However, others have been large flops that cost Walt Disney Studios money. But the upcoming Mufasa: The Lion King is a prequel.
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Disney has attempted similar live-action retellings like Cruella (2021) and Maleficent (2014). Although those weren’t technically prequels, they still performed pretty well for Disney.
And considering the live-action remake of The Lion King (2019) was one of the live-action remakes to make over $1 billion, it seems like a good bet for Disney.
But what do we know about the new Mufasa movie so far? Let’s dive into it…
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The Mufasa Cast
The title character of young Mufasa is being voiced by none other than Aaron Pierre. Aaron Pierre’s work includes playing Caesar in the award-winning series The Underground Railroad (2021) and starring in M. Night Shyamalan’s film Old (2021).
According to IMDB, the movie’s cast will include Seth Rogen as Pumbaa, Billy Eichner as Timon, and John Kani as Rafiki. These three actors played the same parts in the 2019 live-action remake of The Lion King.
Also joining the cast is Kelvin Harrison Jr, who will play young Scar.
The Mufasa Crew
The Mufasa movie is an origin story of king Mufasa by director Barry Jenkins, who also directed The Underground Railroad (the same series Aaron Pierre starred in) If Beale Street Could Talk, Dear White People, and Moonlight.
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The movie is written by Jeff Nathanson, who is most known for Speed 2: Cruise Control (1997), Catch Me If You Can (2002), and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017). He is also known to be an uncredited “script doctor” who worked on many other films, such as Enchanted (2007), Men in Black 3 (2012), and Twister (1996).
The Mufasa movie was initially slated for a July 2024 release but has been moved due to the Hollywood strikes. It is now scheduled to hit theaters in 2024 during the Christmas season.
Barry Jenkins’ ‘MUFASA: THE LION KING’ has been delayed to December 20, 2024.
See what other movies just got delayed: https://t.co/a8JRoNqOAj pic.twitter.com/KxcGZvQ7BV
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) November 10, 2023
Potential Fallout
Although his movie is over a year out, much may be riding on it. Despite the rosy picture Disney CEO Bob Iger likes to paint of the company and its finances, it is still in trouble. Many Disney movies haven’t made a profit in the past couple of years, including Lightyear, Strange World, and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. It also looks like The Marvels (2023) may be added to that list.
Related: Disney World and Disneyland Will Suffer Because of ‘The Marvels’
In addition, Disney+ and the parks seem to be struggling, and the company’s stock is hovering at a 10-year low. Although the entire legacy of the company won’t hinge on the movie’s success, it may be the last hurrah before 2026. And for those unaware, 2026 is the year that Bob Iger intends to step down.
So, the Mufasa movie’s success (or failure) may weigh heavily on Bob Iger and the Walt Disney Company.
