Mufasa: The Lion King’s first reactions are emerging on social media, and the response is surprisingly positive. After the massive success of 2019’sThe Lion Kingremake, a CGI retelling of the 1994 Disney animated classic, the world of the hit film is now set to return in a prequel film from director Barry Jenkins.Mufasa’s storychronicles an early adventure for Simba’s father as he meets Taka, the heir to a royal bloodline, and anticipation for the movie has been mixed since its predecessor was criticized for feeling like a by-the-numbers retread of a familiar tale.
Ahead of the film’s wide theatrical release, however, reactions toMufasa: The Lion Kingon X, formerly Twitter, suggest the prequel will avoid the mistakes of the 2019 movie. Thus far,viewer reactions out of the movie’s premiere have been generally quite positive, with praise aimed at the visuals, fresh story, and Lin-Manuel Miranda’s score. Check out select reactions below:
ScreenRant’s ownJoseph Deckelmeierwas largely enthusiastic in his reaction toMufasa, admitting he enjoyed it “way more than I thought I would” and praising how the animation team improved one element he felt “was missing” from the live-actionLion Kingremake and praised Mufasa and Taka’s backtory as being “compelling with some great foreshadowing.”
Atompraises Miranda as a “force of nature,” while calling the movie “A perfect addition to the Lion King saga, honoring the past while paving a bright new road for the future.”
Jazz TangcaycallsMufasa"the perfect prequel" before also singling Miranda’s score out for being “absolutely divine.”
The reaction from@IamMichaelJLeeis less glowing, and he calls the songs “subpar” and the story “contrived.” He does concede, however, that the movie features “stunning visuals and cinematography,” in addition to humor that “provides laughs and levity.”
“Expertly written & crafted,” writesDana Abercrombie, “it adds to [The Lion King] franchise by adding more dimension to the characters we love & thought we knew.” She also praises the visual effects as “astounding.”
Dempsey PillotcallsMufasa"a biblical exploration of destiny brilliantly disguised as an origin story for Mufasa and Scar." Echoing common sentiments, Dempsey says the movie is “visually stunning” and that Miranda’s “music did not disappoint!”
Joaqúin Teodoropraises the movie for “correcting the aspects that didn’t work in the 2019 remake” and shares a heart emoji to describe the music.
LaughingPlace.comwrites thatMufasa"occasionally suffers from a bout of prequelitis, but otherwise this movie functions as pleasantly diverting (though semi-tragic family fare for the holiday seasons, with just enough drama, adventure and laughs to fill its slightly overlong runtime."
Chris Killianwrites that “the animation is incredible, the songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda are infectious, and the vocal performances make [Mufasa…] better than the 2019 version of Lion King.”
What Mufasa’s Early Reactions Mean For The Movie
How Will It Compare To The 2019 Movie?
2019’sThe Lion Kingmay have only a 51% critics' score onRotten Tomatoes, but it was a major success for Disney. Throughout its theatrical run, the film grossed a staggering $1.656 billion worldwide. Though critics may have taken issue with the movie offering little value beyond a CGI version of a story people have already seen, audiences were clearly more receptive, and the Popcornmeter score for the movie on Rotten Tomatoes is a strong 88%.
Mufasa Only Needs A Fraction Of 2019’s Lion King $1.6 Billion Box Office To Achieve A Huge Milestone
2019’s The Lion King set a high bar at the box office with $1.6 billion, but Mufasa’s prequel can hit a huge milestone with a fraction of the total.
IfMufasaimproves on this formula by featuring plenty of callbacks to the original and to the 2019 version while also offering better songs, a better story, and stunning animation, it could well end up reaching the same heights. The movie was likely always going to fare well as a sequel to a $1.6 billion hit aimed at family audiences, butif it has value beyond being a way to spend an afternoon with kids, it could attract a wider audience and further benefit from positive word-of-mouth.
Jenkins previously directed acclaimed projects likeMoonlight(2016),If Beale Street Could Talk(2018), andThe Underground Railroad(2021).
Our Take On Mufasa’s Early Reactions
Will Another Lion King Movie Happen?
Generally, social media reactions out of a premiere or early screening are more positive and hyperbolic than what comes later in actual critics' reviews. Still, the reception thus far suggests, at the very least, that the prequel is an improvement over the original. Though theLion Kingfeatured some strong voice performances, theMufasavoice castdoes seem like a major strength here, with Aaron Pierre voicing the titular lion, Kelvin Harrison Jr. voicing Taka, and Mads Mikkelsen voicing Kiros, in addition to returning voice performers Seth Rogen (Pumbaa), Billy Eichner (Timone), and John Kani (Rafiki).
IfMufasadoes end up being as big of a success as the first film,it’s entirely possible that Disney will return to this well once again. Whether a prospective next film is another prequel or a sequel that picks up afterThe Lion King’s ending, however, remains to be seen. WithMufasa: The Lion Kinghitting theaters later this month, early reactions are certianly a positive sign for the movie.
Source: Various (see above)
Mufasa: The Lion King
Cast
Mufasa: The Lion King explores the origins of the beloved character Mufasa, focusing on his youth as a lost cub who encounters Taka, a royal heir. Their meeting initiates an epic journey of self-discovery and destiny, featuring a group of misfit companions navigating the challenges of their world.
