Following last night's teaser image, Disney has released the first full trailer for its upcoming prequel to 2019's photorealistic computer-animated remake of The Lion King, which will focus on Simba's beloved father, Mufasa, as a cub "without a drop of nobility in his blood."
The trailer begins with Rafiki telling the story of Mufasa to Kiara, the daughter of Simba and Nala. We learn that the lion who would be king was actually an orphaned cub who was forced to navigate the world alone until a chance encounter with another young lion named Taka sets him on the path to becoming the legendary King of the Pride Lands.
It's also been confirmed that this movie will be a musical (there were rumors to the contrary), with award-winning songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda penning new tunes produced by Mark Mancina and Miranda, with additional music and performances by Lebo M.
Said Miranda, “Elton John. Tim Rice. Hans Zimmer. Lebo M. Mark Mancina. Beyoncé, Labrinth, Ilya Salmanzadeh. Beau Black, Ford Riley, the incredible music team on ‘The Lion Guard,’ and so many musical contributors over the years. ‘The Lion King’ has an incredible musical legacy with music from some of the greatest songwriters around, and I'm humbled and proud to be a part of it. It's been a joy working alongside Barry Jenkins to bring Mufasa's story to life, and we can't wait for audiences to experience this film in theaters."
Check out the trailer and poster below along with a new synopsis and full cast list, which reveals that several actors from the previous movie will be back to voice their respective characters, including Donald Glover (Simba) and Beyoncé (Nala).
There are also a few surprising new additions, such as Mads Mikkelsen, Thandiwe Newton, and Beyoncé's daughter Blue Ivy Carter.
Mufasa: The Lion King features Aaron Pierre as Mufasa, Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Taka, a lion prince with a bright future who accepts Mufasa into his family as a brother. Tiffany Boone as Sarabi, Kagiso Lediga as Young Rafiki, Preston Nyman as Zazu, Mads Mikkelsen as Kiros, a formidable lion with big plans for his pride. Thandiwe Newton as Taka’s mother, Eshe, Lennie James as Taka’s father, Obasi, Anika Noni Rose as Mufasa’s mother, Afia, Keith David as Mufasa’s father, Masego, John Kani as Rafiki, Seth Rogen as Pumbaa, Billy Eichner as Timon, Donald Glover as Simba, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter as Nala, and Introducing Blue Ivy Carter as Kiara, daughter of King Simba and Queen Nala.
“Mufasa: The Lion King enlists Rafiki to relay the legend of Mufasa to young lion cub Kiara, daughter of Simba and Nala, with Timon and Pumbaa lending their signature schtick. Told in flashbacks, the story introduces Mufasa as an orphaned cub, lost and alone until he meets a sympathetic lion named Taka—the heir to a royal bloodline. The chance meeting sets in motion an expansive journey of an extraordinary group of misfits searching for their destiny—their bonds will be tested as they work together to evade a threatening and deadly foe."
Mufasa roars into theaters on December 20.