Beyoncé and Donald Glover Return For ‘Lion King’ Prequel

The latest trailer for ‘Mufasa,’ the prequel to 2019’s ‘The Lion King,’ has hit the screens, confirming the return of Beyoncé and Donald Glover to the pride. The new Disney flick greenlit a few years back after the success of the remake, delves into the backstory of King Mufasa.

It’s helmed by Barry Jenkins of ‘Moonlight’ fame, with Jeff Nathanson, the wordsmith behind the 2019 film, penning the script once more. In the teaser, Rafiki (voiced by John Kani) sets the scene with his narration, flaunting the same photorealistic style we saw in 2019.

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He says, “This story begins far beyond the mountains and the shadows, on the other side of the light.” Then, we get a peek at the cast, with Glover and Beyoncé reprising their roles as Simba and Nala and their real-life daughter Blue Ivy Carter stepping into the role of their cub, Kiara.

Aaron Pierre from ‘Foe’ takes on the mantle of young Mufasa, while Kelvin Harrison Jr. from ‘Elvis’ will portray the youthful Scar. Mads Mikkelsen, Thandwide Newton, Lennie James, Keith David, and Anika Noni Rose are also on board, with Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen returning as Timon and Pumbaa. Plus, Lin-Manuel Miranda of ‘Hamilton’ fame is set to craft some tunes for the film.

After the 2019 photorealistic rendition of the 1994 classic, Beyoncé dropped an album inspired by the movie, titled ‘The Lion King: The Gift’, featuring tracks from African artists.

Barry Jenkins, chatting to Deadline back in 2020, shared his excitement: “Helping my sister raise two young boys during the ’90s, I grew up with these characters. Having the opportunity to work with Disney on expanding this magnificent tale of friendship, love, and legacy while furthering my work chronicling the lives and souls of folk within the African diaspora is a dream come true.”

‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ is set to hit cinemas on 20th December.