Mufasa: The Lion King is not only a prequel to the 2019 live-action remake of Disney’s animated classic, it’s also in dialogue with both that and the 1994 original. So much so, in fact, that the cast of Mufasa and its director Barry Jenkins believe it will enhance your next rewatch of either Lion King movies.
“I do hope people go back and forth. Now knowing how close these characters were at a certain point, I imagine it’s going to make some of those interactions in the original film take on a new context,” Jenkins tells GamesRadar+ of how Mufasa and Scar’s origins will inform later events.
Jenkins even has the perfect example for those curious enough to check out Mufasa on opening weekend before dipping into The Lion King shortly after – and it involves Jeremy Irons’ Scar, a performance frequently lauded as one of the most deliciously evil Disney Villains in decades past.
“One of the things that really drove us was – especially if you listen to Jeremy Irons’ performance in the original Lion King – there’s so much hurt and woundedness and heartbreak and bitterness. I think it was driving [Taka/Scar actor] Kelvin Harrison Jr. to really show the deep wells of feeling”
Jenkins continues, “[Jeremy Irons’ Scar] is always celebrated as this very delicious, pure evil. Yet, I heard all these different elements to it. Now you see those things exhibited in this film and when you go back and watch that movie, I think your ear will be more attuned to those things.”
It’s an opinion that is shared by the cast, not least of all Sarabi’s voice actor Tiffany Boone.
“I think it really will be great. Even some people, maybe they haven’t seen the 2019 version or the original The Lion King, I think you can watch them in any order,” Boone says. “They all complement each other really nicely. You can feel the same heart in all of the films, even though you get a little bit of each filmmaker… They have a really nice connection to each other.”
Aaron Pierre, who plays a younger Mufasa before he ascends to the head of the animal kingdom in Pride Rock, adds, “I’m actually really excited to learn how people engage with the original after watching this. I think that’s a really beautiful thing. I think people will watch this [and] learn a bit more about these beloved characters, they have deeper insight, and they’ll go ahead and watch the original. I think they’ll have a new experience with it.”
Mufasa: The Lion King hits cinemas on December 20.
Be sure to check out our guide to new Disney movies, then dive into director Barry Jenkins on why he chose Disney for his next project and the meaning behind Mufasa’s James Earl Jones tribute.
