Mufasa: The Lion King Just Dropped! You Won’t BELIEVE Where!

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I’m absolutely thrilled that Barry Jenkins’ “Mufasa: The Lion King” is pouncing onto Disney+ today (March 26th), following a three-month stint in theaters! This prequel to Jon Favreau’s 2019 “The Lion King” offers a fascinating glimpse into the backstory of Mufasa, the noble lion who ascended to the throne as King of the Pride Lands. The story unfolds before the events of the original film, taking us through Mufasa’s humble beginnings, his journey from orphanhood, and the development of his relationships with key characters like Sarabi (Tiffany Boone), and notably, his brother Taka (Kelvin Harrison Jr.), who would eventually become the treacherous lion, Scar. The 2024 Christmas blockbuster received a mixed response, with its technical prowess often overshadowing emotional depth, and a soundtrack that left many fans scratching their heads rather than humming along.

Lin-Manuel Miranda, the talented composer behind hit musicals such as “Hamilton” and “In the Heights,” shared that he enlisted his sons as trial listeners to determine which songs would stick in people’s minds, often referred to as earworms. In an interview with Variety prior to its December release, Miranda boasted that the tracklist for his Mufasa project guaranteed no skips, much like the 1993 original soundtrack by Tim Rice and Elton John.

As a movie critic, I’d say that Lin-Manuel Miranda, in his own words, considers “I Always Wanted a Brother” and “Bye Bye” as standout tracks from the film. However, some viewers have found Miranda’s pop-infused additions to be slightly out of sync with the movie’s grounded, dramatic narrative and hyper-realistic visuals. Despite his exceptional track record with Disney soundtracks, as demonstrated in films like “Moana” and “Encanto”, the songs he contributed for this particular project seemed to lack the enduring, emotional impact that the original “Lion King” tunes possessed.

Tiffany Boone Teases “Lion Queen” Potential

Boone stands out more for her role as Sarabi, leaving behind a more significant impact, according to ComicBook’s recent interview with the actress. They discussed the significance of being associated with a movie that she cherished growing up, along with the prospect of having a solo sequel dedicated to her character.

Boone expressed, “It’s almost unbelievable, you understand, when so many young people are moved by our film, and it seems adults are equally touched. The fact that they’re creating their own memories with this version is astounding. I can hardly believe it myself. I catch myself thinking about the little girl who loved the original movie, and now here I am, a part of this. It’s heartwarming to see people from my own generation sharing this experience with their kids. The whole process has been an incredible honor for me.

Pondering possible continuations, Boone considered the lingering mysteries that might make an engaging tale about Sarabi’s ascent to nobility, leaving some questions unanswered.

Boone expressed enthusiasm for the possibility, stating, “Absolutely, I’d be on board with that! It’s hard to refuse something like that. We were discussing earlier about a potential continuation of The Lion King, perhaps focusing on the ‘Lion Queen.’ This story would fill in the gaps between the end of the original film and the beginning, showing how she rises to become the wise queen we know from the first movie.

As Mufasa’s daughter, she’s still learning her role at that point. She’s not yet fully matured into the wise queen we see later. I think it would be fascinating to delve deeper into her journey, so I’d love to explore that further. Why not indeed!

Mufasa: The Lion King is streaming now on Disney+.

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2025-03-26 22:11