The extremely loved and sought-after movie, The Lion King, has unfolded the past, releasing the much-wanted and promised prequel, Mufasa: The Lion King, which is out and showing in theatres.
Mufasa: The Lion King is a backstory to the 2019 Jon Favreau remake of The Lion King. The film draws a picture of what happened before the events of The Lion King. It captures Mufasa’s life from when he was a cub to when he became king of the Pride Lands. The movie shows the history of what happened between Scar and Mufasa, including how Scar got his name, how the two met, and how their friendship ended.
The movie is fully CGI and uses photorealistic animation to make it appear as life-like as possible. The same goes for the 2019 film, The Lion King, apart from the one Circle of Life scene, which was shot in Africa. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Mufasa: The Lion King was made using an empty soundstage. No people, no costumes, and no sets. Just the technology.
During an interview with Vulture, Barry Jenkins, the director of Mufasa: The Lion King, said, “I always believe that what is here is enough, and let me just figure out what is the chemistry to make alchemy?” He further questions how just the people, environment, and light can come together to form an image that is deep and dense enough to speak to someone.
As of March 2025, the film had made just over $707 million at the worldwide box office. The top amounts of gross pay made in other countries include: Germany, making $32 million, the United Kingdom, making $40 million, and France, with the highest pay of $42 million. The lowest amount of money Mufasa: The Lion King made was in Iceland, where it made $183 thousand.
In comparison to the other movies in the Lion King franchise, Mufasa has made the least amount of money. According to The Numbers, the 1994 animated movie, The Lion King, grossed over $980 million. The 2019 remake of The Lion King made over $1 billion at the worldwide box office, making it the top-grossing film in the series, and financially surpassing Mufasa: The Lion King by nearly $300 million.
According to IMDb, the newest release was rated 6.5/10 in the United States. The reviews range from great to average. When asked about the movie, Calleigh Buckhannon, freshman, said, “It was like every detail was based on the cartoon.” She went on to say that she would rate it a 9/10.
The opinions about the film vary, but despite some poor reviews, the film has gotten several award nominations, some of which include the Satellite Award for Best Visual Effects, the NAACP Image Award, and the C.A.S. Outstanding Achievement Award. These accomplishments only heighten the value and depth of the film. Mufasa: The Lion King will continue to grow in popularity and rise on the charts over time.
