Disney has released the final trailer for Mufasa: The Lion King, a prequel exploring the early life of the orphaned cub Mufasa and his bond with Taka, a lion of royal heritage, ahead of its December 20 release.
The prequel, helmed by Barry Jenkins, is drawn from the 1994 animated classic The Lion King, which was adapted by Jon Favreau in 2019. It explores the origin story of Simba’s father, depicting his journey from an orphaned lion cub to a wise and benevolent leader.
The two-minute-23-second-long trailer begins with Rafiki, the shaman and adviser to Simba, narrating how Mufasa became the King of the Pride Lands to young lion cub Kiara, daughter of Simba and Nala. Rafiki recounts the early days of Mufasa and Taka, who later transforms into his foe Scar.
At first, Mufasa is depicted as a vulnerable cub, who learns to survive in the world alone after a flood separates him from his family. He is soon found by Taka, a charismatic young lion who introduces him to the ways of royal pride. Despite having different upbringings, the duo form a deep bond.
Soon, we get glimpses of young Mufasa’s friendship with Taka, whose complexities hint at the character’s transformation into Scar, one of Disney’s most infamous villains.
“Discover the journey that forged a kingdom,” Disney wrote alongside the trailer on YouTube.
Actors Aaron Pierre and Kelvin Harrison Jr. have lent their voices to the younger versions of Mufasa and Scar. With Lin-Manuel Miranda composing the background score, the film’s voice actors also include John Kani as Rafiki, Seth Rogen as Pumbaa, Billy Eichner as Timon and Donald Glover as Simba.
