The first reactions to Disney’s latest live-action remake effort, Mufasa: The Lion King, have now begun to emerge on social media, and they are…surprisingly encouraging. WhileThe Lion King prequel seemed like little more than another transparent cash grab for the House of Mouse, despite the stellar cast and Oscar winner Barry Jenkins in the director’s chair, critics’ early reactions have been overwhelmingly positive, with many declaring Mufasa to be “stunning,” “a fantastic prequel that outdoes the first,” and “a story that deserves to be told.” So, let’s get into it.
The Disinsider’s Dempsey Pillot heaped praise on Mufasa: The Lion King, commending the work of Jenkins, the clever, covertly complex script, and the songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda.
“Pleased to say #MufasaTheLionKing is really good! But what else would you expect from Barry Jenkins? A biblical exploration of destiny brilliantly disguised as an origin story for Mufasa and Scar. Entertaining, visually stunning, and Lin-Manuel Miranda’s music did not disappoint!”
ComicBook.com’s Chris Killian admits to being as skeptical as everyone else when going into the Lion King prequel, but quickly found that the Disney outing is far better than its billion-dollar-making predecessor.
“I’ll be the first to admit that a Lion King prequel was not something I was asking for, but the animation is incredible, the songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda are infectious, and the vocal performances make #Mufasa – dare I say – better than the 2019 version of Lion King.”
There is a lot of praise for the visual effects, with critic Dana Abercrombie declaring that Mufasa: The Lion King left them “speechless.”
“#MufasaTheLionKing left me speechless. Its a story that deserves to be told that makes u question what is destiny. Expertly written & crafted, it adds to #TheLionKing franchise by adding more dimension to the characters we love & thought we knew. The visual effects are astounding.”
One Critic Calls ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ an Unexpectedly “Blood-Thirsty Prequel”
On the more negative side, X/Twitter user and critic @IamMichaelJLee criticized the movie’s surprisingly “blood-thirsty” approach, as well as denouncing the songs as “subpar.”
“#MufasaTheLionKing is an unexpected blood-thirsty prequel w/ stunning visuals and cinematography but contains subpar songs that don’t advance a contrived story. It’s fine for those interested learning about Mufasa and Taka’s origins. At least the humor provides laughs and levity.”
But we shall end with a positive, as critic John Nguyen calls Mufasa: The Lion King “a fantastic prequel” that leaves the hugely successful first movie in the dust with the hyenas.
“#Mufasa is a fantastic prequel that outdoes the first photorealistic The Lion King movie by a mile with an original and engaging story, better facial animation, and fun songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda. It ties nicely to the previous film’s story and you get to see how it all started.”
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Is James Earl Jones Involved With the New ‘Lion King’ Prequel?
The world lost the booming voice of Mufasa when Jones passed earlier this year. But will we hear him one last time in ‘Mufasa: The Lion King?’
Directed by Barry Jenkins from a screenplay written by Jeff Nathanson, Mufasa: The Lion King acts as both a prequel and sequel to the 2019 live-action remake. The Disney outing sees Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner, John Kani, and Beyoncé Knowles-Carter return, with Rebel Ridge star Aaron Pierre voicing a young Mufasa alongside Waves actor Kelvin Harrison Jr. as a young Scar. The rest of the cast includes Tiffany Boone, Mads Mikkelsen, Thandiwe Newton, Lennie James, Anika Noni Rose, and Blue Ivy Carter. Mufasa: The Lion King is due to hit theaters on December 20, and you can check out the official synopsis below.
“Mufasa: The Lion King” enlists Rafiki to relay the legend of Mufasa to young lion cub Kiara, daughter of Simba and Nala, with Timon and Pumbaa lending their signature schtick. Told in flashbacks, the story introduces Mufasa as an orphaned cub, lost and alone until he meets a sympathetic lion named Taka–the heir to a royal bloodline. The chance meeting sets in motion an expansive journey of an extraordinary group of misfits searching for their destiny–their bonds will be tested as they work together to evade a threatening and deadly foe.
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
- December 20, 2024
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