Words Charlotte Blacklock

Long before the days of Simba and far away from the Pride Lands, a lion is born without a drop of nobility in his blood, but with a great destiny at his paws.

Simba’s ascension to the throne is a timeless tale of heartbreak and heroism; his father’s rise to royalty is just as legendary. Mufasa is an orphan cub surviving the extreme wilderness alone until he meets Taka, a lion prince who brings him into his family. Together, they grow up as brothers and find their bond tested by fate and a deadly foe.

The tale of how Mufasa becomes king unfolds through flashbacks as Rafiki relays the legend to Simba and Nala’s daughter, Kiara – with a little flavour from everyone’s favourite sidekicks Timon and Pumbaa.

Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen are back to ensure it means no worries for fans of the first live-action reimagining, with Donald Glover and Beyoncé Knowles-Carter returning as Simba and Nala. New to the pride are Aaron Pierre and Kelvin Harrison Jr as Mufasa and Taka, alongside Thandiwe Newton, Mads Mikkelsen, Preston Nyman, and Blue Ivy Carter in her feature film debut.

Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hans Zimmer, Lebo M, Pharrell Williams, and Nicholas Britell keep the legendary musical legacy intact with new songs and a roaring soundtrack to this epic extension of the legend of The Lion King that brings background to characters both new and old.

Pride Lands And Beyond

Building on the state-of-the-art tech they developed for their visually-stunning live-action retellings of The Jungle Book and The Lion King, Disney immerse you again in an expansive landscape where CG-animated animals roar to life. Whether it’s lions, mandrills, meerkats, warthogs, and the rest, the cinema again becomes a virtual safari through the Pride Lands and parts of this world we’ve never seen before. Be it on stage or onscreen, no Lion King experience is complete without mighty musical numbers and with director Barry Jenkins back at the helm and an all-star voice cast and musical team beside him, Mufasa’s origin story is one you’re sure to remember.