This year, Disney’s CinemaCon panel was filled with plenty of surprises for attendees. One of those surprises came at the very end in the form of Academy Award-winning director Barry Jenkins unveiling an official look at his prequel to Disney’s live-action Lion King adaptation, Mufasa.
According to multiple reports from attendees, the footage (which has not yet been made available to the public) featured the iconic overture from the original animated film.
A young Mufasa can be seen briefly be seen traversing the jungle, but it’s a voiceover from Rafiki that sets the tone for the story about “a lion who was born without a drop of nobility in its blood.”
The official logline states that Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen’s Timon and Pumbaa will serve as the film’s primary narrators, in a style similar to The Lion King 1 1/2. But the story will be framed as Rafiki tells Kiara, the daughter of Simba and Nala the story of her grandfather’s origins.
READ: Why Mufasa: The Lion King will be great
Now, aside from the story, director Barry Jenkins teased that some of the same people he collaborated with on Moonlight also contributed to this film. He also teased new music and songs, but stopped short of revealing who was behind them.
“They are handcuffing me,” Jenkins said during the panel. “I can’t tell you who made those new songs, but they are absolutely amazing.”
Mufasa: The Lion King roars into theaters December 20, 2024.
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