Discover the origin story of Pride Rock rivals Mufasa and Scar in Disney's photo-realistic CG adventure Mufasa: The Lion King.
It's the prequel to Disney's 2019 remake of their 1994 masterpiece The Lion King and promises to push CG imagery to the next level with its depiction of the teeming savannah.
You can now book your Cineworld tickets for the sweeping new Disney epic but before you do, here's everything you need to know about the film.
What is Mufasa: The Lion King about?
Kiara, the granddaughter of Mufasa and daughter of Simba and Nala, discovers the story of her Pride Rock ancestors from Rafiki, the mandrake.
We're introduced to the orphan Mufasa, who is befriended by the young prince Taka, later to become Scar, and adopted by Taka's family. The pair eventually become step-siblings but are threatened by the pernicious influence of Kiros, the ruthless leader of the white lions.
Who is in the voice cast for Mufasa: The Lion King?
Aaron Pierre (Brother) and Kelvin Harrison Jr. (Waves) voice the adolescent iterations of Mufasa and Taka/Scar.
Returning voices from the 2019 iteration of The Lion King include Donald Glover as Simba, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter as Nala, Seth Rogen as the warthog Pumbaa and Billy Eichner as the meerkat Timon. Beyonce's daughter Blue Ivy Carter voices Kiara.
John Kani also returns to voice Rafiki while series newcomers include Mads Mikkelsen (Another Round) as Kiros and Thandiwe Newton (Crash) as Eshe, Taka's mother.
Who is directing Mufasa: The Lion King?
Barry Jenkins directs Mufasa: The Lion King and would appear to be an unusual choice. He's a directed more famous for searing, human condition dramas like Moonlight (2016), which takes a kaleidoscopic look at the identity crisis facing a young boy in 1990s Florida.
Moonlight was critically lauded and become even more famous following the infamous Oscars mix-up with rival movie La La Land. Moonlight won the Oscar for Best Picture and Jenkins was nominated both for his direction and the screenplay (adapted from Tarell Alvin McCraney's unpublished semi-autobiographical play In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue).
Emboldened by this success, Jenkins delivered another critical hit with 2019's If Beale Street Could Talk. Adapted from James Baldwin's novel, it relays the powerful story of a young African-American couple beset by systemic racism in 1970s New York. The movie was nominated for several Oscars.
Jenkins' background hardly screams Disney helmer. However, he's long been a fan of the original film, saying in 2020: "Helping my sister raise two young boys during the Nineties, 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.”
Who is composing the soundtrack for Mufasa: The Lion King?
The score for Mufasa: The Lion King is by Dave Metzger. He scored last year's Disney adventure Wish, and before that had a long-standing relationship with the studio as an orchestrator on the likes of blockbuster hits Tarzan (1999), Wreck-It Ralph (2013), Frozen (2013) and Frozen 2 (2019).
The songs come from Disney veteran and Hamilton icon Lin-Manuel Miranda who helped secure 2016's Moana as a classic via tunes like 'How Far Will I Go' and 'You're Welcome'. Miranda also scored and starred in Disney's 2018 sequel Mary Poppins Returns.
The songs are produced by Mark Mancina, also a Disney vet: he orchestrated the songs for the original The Lion King, and he scored Tarzan and the two Moana films.
Rounding off the superstar soundtrack collaboration is chart-topping sensational Pharrell Williams whose life story was recently immortalised in LEGO in the film Piece by Piece. Williams is working on the score with Metzger and composer Nicholas Britell, who worked with Barry Jenkins to emotive effect on both Moonlight (2016) and If Beale Street Could Talk (2019).
What is the age rating for Mufasa: The Lion King?
The film hasn't been rated yet by the BBFC – return to this blog post for more details.
Is there a Hindi-dubbed version of Mufasa: The Lion King showing at Cineworld?
Yes, you can book your Hindi-language tickets via the link below. Bollywood legend Shah Rukh Khan leads the voice cast along with his family.
BOOK MUFASA: THE LION KING HINDI-DUBBED TICKETS
Is Mufasa: The Lion King showing in special formats at Cineworld?
Experience the movie on wide-canvas IMAX, which uses superior screen resolution, screen clarity and all-encompassing sound to expand the vistas of the pride lands to breathtaking degrees.
You can also enjoy the movie in Cineworld-exclusive 4DX, which utilises motion-sensory effects including moving seats, wind, water, rain and scents to put you at the visceral heart of the story.
Cineworld-exclusive Superscreen makes the movie feel like a masterpiece, utilising larger-than-normal screens and digital surround sound to emotionally overwhelm you in the best possible way.
When is Mufasa: The Lion King released?
Mufasa: The Lion King is released on December 20th. Book your tickets below.
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