Disney’s new prequel, Mufasa: The Lion King, uses a narrative idea from the original movie to repeat the franchise’s most frightening moment. 1994’s The Lion King is one of the best Disney movies of all time, exemplifying the family-friendly cinematic excellence that the famous studio is best known for. Despite being made for children to enjoy, the classic isn’t without its dark moments, with Mufasa’s death due to a wildebeest stampede standing out in particular. Aside from the horror of seeing a cub lose their parent, it’s a downright terrifying way to go and is quite brutal for animation.
The 2019 live-action animation remake of The Lion King wasn’t as well-received as the original, but it’s spawned a new franchise for Disney that could continue with more Lion King spinoffs after Mufasa. The first prequel film, which examines the lives of Mufasa and Scar as they grew up as brothers and journeyed to the Pride Lands to begin Mufasa’s kingdom, has two moments that mirror that horrible stampede. The movie tells a new story set in this world while utilizing the narrative devices that made the original so exceptional.
Mufasa Introduces Two New Stampede Replacements For The Lion King Franchise
Mufasa Mirrors The Original Lion King Film
Mufasa: The Lion King’s story begins with a young Mufasa being raised by his parents. Sadly, he’s swept away by a flood that breaks a dam, causing several animals to be displaced from their packs. It’s saddening to know that Mufasa suffered the same horror that Simba did, essentially losing his father from a terrible event that no one could prepare for. This sets up the story for Mufasa to find Scar’s pride and join them as a stray.
It’s not The Lion King without at least one big animal charge, and the two in Disney’s new prequel are even more dangerous than before
Later in the movie, the white lions known as the Outsiders give chase to Mufasa and his friends. In order to escape, they cause an elephant stampede, and this scene mirrors many moments from the 2019 Lion King movie, including a similar musical score and nearly identical shots, creating a similar sense of horror. It’s not The Lion King without at least one big animal charge, and the two in Disney’s new prequel are even more dangerous than before, invoking a sense of panic and claustrophobia that heightens the film’s emotional stakes.
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Mufasa’s Stampede Replacements Are More Dangerous Than Before
The Flood Is One Of The Lion King Franchise’s Most Terrifying Sequences
Mufasa doesn’t just try to replicate the evocative danger of the original Lion King stampede; it tries to build on it. The flood in the film’s first act is an overwhelming burst of nature that shows just how feeble the animal kingdom really is, and it’s not caused by any character’s actions like the others are. Then, the elephant stampede ups the ante from the wildebeests by posing the same situation with an even more imposing species.
Mufasa: The Lion King is a prequel to the live-action remake of the original Disney animated film, The Lion King. The film will follow Mufasa in his early days; further plot details are currently under wraps. The film will likely explore Mufasa and Scar’s relationship and how it became as strained as it did. In the film, Timon and Pumba will return, with Billy Eicher and Seth Rogen reprising their roles.
- Release Date
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December 20, 2024
- Runtime
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118 Minutes
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