50 Fun Facts About Mufasa: the Lion King

Who directed Mufasa: The Lion King?

The Moonlight director admitted at CinemaCon that taking on an 'eight-quadrant tentpole legacy IP massive film' seemed strange at first.

Who is telling the story of Mufasa, and to whom?

Simba and Nala have gone to an oasis for the birth of a second cub, leaving Timon and Pumbaa to babysit.

Which real-life daughter of a cast member voices Kiara, in her feature debut?

Jenkins had heard her audiobook of Hair Love and worried acting opposite her mother might hit 'too close to home'; both were enthusiastic.

What separates the cub Mufasa from his parents, Masego and Afia?

He is swept from his coastal desert home into a wetland, where he meets a royal cub named Taka.

What was Scar's name before he became Scar?

Kelvin Harrison Jr. voices the prince, promising a 'hilarious and very, very spicy' take on young Scar.

How does King Obasi decide whether the orphan cub can stay with the pride?

Taka deliberately loses so his new friend can remain, the first act of a friendship that curdles later.

What is the name of the legendary oasis Mufasa dreams of as a cub?

By the end he is king of it, and Pride Rock is newly created and named there.

Who is Kiros?

He hunts Mufasa for killing his son Shaju; Mads Mikkelsen voices him.

Which Danish actor voices Kiros?

His sisters Akua and Amara are voiced by Joanna Jones and Folake Olowofoyeku.

Why do the two brothers flee Obasi's kingdom?

Kiros then massacres Obasi, Eshe and the rest of the pride.

Which three characters join the brothers on the journey to the oasis?

Rafiki is following visions of reuniting with a 'brother', who turns out to be Mufasa himself.

How does Sarabi help the group escape the Outsiders?

Mufasa saves her during the stampede but lets Taka take the credit out of loyalty.

What makes Taka betray his brother to Kiros?

He secretly leaves a trail for the Outsiders to follow.

How does Taka get his scar?

The remorseful intervention comes in a cave where Kiros is about to kill Mufasa.

What natural disaster kills most of the Outsiders at the oasis?

Kiros drags Mufasa into an underwater cavern, where a rockfall lets Mufasa finish him.

Why does Taka choose the name Scar?

Mufasa forgives him and lets him stay but vows never to speak the name Taka again.

Which of Mufasa's parents turns out to have survived the flood?

Anika Noni Rose voices Afia and Keith David voices Masego.

Who voices the adult Mufasa?

He was cast in August 2021; twins Braelyn and Brielle Rankins voice the cub.

Whose archived voice is heard during the opening titles as a tribute?

The original Mufasa died three months before release and the film is dedicated to him.

Who voices Sarabi?

Thandiwe Newton voices Queen Eshe and Lennie James voices King Obasi.

Which three actors return from the 2019 remake as Pumbaa, Timon and Rafiki?

Kagiso Lediga voices Rafiki as a young adult in the flashbacks.

Which real couple voice Nala and Kiara?

Jenkins saw synergy after Blue Ivy danced to a Lion King: The Gift song on the Renaissance tour.

Which classic film's structure was the prequel-and-sequel storytelling compared to?

The 1974 film likewise intercuts a young man's rise with events after the original.

Kiara's appearance marks her first in an animated feature since which film?

Jenkins said 'some stuff' from that 1998 direct-to-video sequel is alluded to but not adapted.

Who wrote the film's new songs?

He began in secret at the start of 2022, after Jenkins had once nearly cast him in If Beale Street Could Talk.

Which song was premiered at the 2024 D23 Expo?

Miranda appeared at D23 for the first time to present it alongside the full trailer.

Which song was shortlisted for the Best Original Song Oscar but not nominated?

The film was also shortlisted for Best Visual Effects and missed out there too.

Who got sole score credit after Hans Zimmer, Nicholas Britell and Pharrell Williams dropped out?

Zimmer's 'Under the Stars' and 'King of Pride Rock' themes were still reused, and four Britell themes remain.

Which visual effects house returned from the 2019 remake to animate the film?

Early footage was shown at the 2022 D23 Expo, revealing production was already under way.

What was on the first teaser poster?

A later variant did the same trick with Taka and the adult Scar.

How did the director respond to online critics who dismissed the teaser as an unnecessary cash-in?

He argued children experience 'collective grief for the first time' and 'Shakespeare for the first time' through the story.

What was the film's original release date before the SAG-AFTRA strike moved it?

It took over the December slot vacated by Marvel's Thunderbolts*.

Which film beat Mufasa to the top spot on their shared opening weekend?

Mufasa opened to $35.4 million, took the crown in its third weekend and was still number one over MLK weekend.

Approximately how much did Mufasa gross worldwide?

That made it the sixth-highest-grossing film of 2024, with Deadline estimating a $175 million profit.

What did The New York Times credit for the film's long box-office legs?

It crossed $150 million domestically in its third weekend and kept climbing into January.

What CinemaScore grade did audiences give the film?

Critics were split: 56% on Rotten Tomatoes, though many said the animation improved on the 2019 remake.

Which acclaimed director named Mufasa among his favourite films of 2024?

The Nosferatu director said it was 'truly moving to see what Barry Jenkins' singular voice brought to this massive event film'.

What did The A.V. Club's critic note the film retcons about Mufasa and Scar?

Ignatiy Vishnevetsky said it at least explains why the two have different accents.

Blue Ivy danced on tour to a song from which Beyoncé album, convincing Jenkins of their 'synergy'?

The 2019 album accompanied the remake; the dancing happened on the Renaissance World Tour.

How much did the film earn in India within two weeks of release?

That is roughly US$13 million, a strong showing for a Hollywood animated title there.

Which screenwriter, returning from the 2019 remake, wrote Mufasa?

He had a draft finished by September 2020, when the project was first confirmed.

What was Zazu's job before becoming majordomo to the king?

Preston Nyman voices the hornbill.

Who voices the young lion prince Taka?

Harrison promised the film would explore Scar's backstory in a 'hilarious and very, very spicy' way.

Which actress voices Queen Eshe, Taka's mother?

Eshe accepts the orphaned Mufasa into the pride, and her advice later helps him defeat Kiros in the underwater cavern.

Who voices Afia, Mufasa's biological mother?

Rose is best known to Disney fans as Tiana in The Princess and the Frog; Keith David voices Mufasa's father Masego.

Where did the film hold its world premiere on December 9, 2024?

The Los Angeles premiere came eleven days before the wide US release on December 20.

Which Marvel film took over Mufasa's original July 2024 release slot after the SAG-AFTRA strike?

Mufasa slid to December 20, 2024, and opened behind Sonic the Hedgehog 3 that weekend.

Where did Mufasa rank among the highest-grossing films of 2024?

Its $723 million worldwide split into $255 million domestic and $468 million from other territories.

What is the name of Kiros's son, killed by Mufasa during a hunt?

The surviving white lion warns Kiros, whose sisters Akua and Amara join his revenge assault on Obasi's pride.

Blue Ivy's audiobook of which short film made Barry Jenkins consider her for Kiara?

Jenkins worried acting opposite her mother might hit 'too close to home', but both Blue Ivy and Beyoncé were enthusiastic.