Warning! Spoilers for Mufasa: The Lion King ahead!
Mufasa: The Lion Kingtold the story of Mufasa and Scar’s past, but the movie itself confirmed there are otherThe Lion Kingstories worth telling. This franchise got its start with 1994’sThe Lion King, which saw Simba defend his kingdom from the uncle who murdered his father, Mufasa. Now, 2024’s new movie is a sequel and prequel in one, connecting the events of Simba’s future with the fateful decisions of Mufasa’s past. It’s certainly an intriguing tale that needed to be told. However,Mufasa: The Lion Kingmay point out precisely why this wasn’t the best next step for the franchise.
Mufasa andScar’s origin is a storywithin a story inMufasa: The Lion King. The film picks up with Simba and Nala setting out to have another cub, and their daughter Kiara is left at Pride Rock under Timon, Pumbaa, and Rafiki’s care. To comfort the princess as she waited for her parents to return, Rafiki began telling Kiara about how her grandfather, Mufasa, came to be king in the first place and how and why he found his courage. From then on,Mufasa: The Lion Kingjumped between the past and presentas Rafiki this story, but Timon and Pumbaa seemed to believe there were better tales to tell.
Timon & Pumbaa Confirm There Are More Stories With All The Lion King Characters To Tell
Timon & Pumbaa Teased More Recent Adventures
Timon and Pumbaaonce again served as the comedic relief ofMufasa: The Lion King, and every time the movie jumped back to these characters in the present, they had a great deal to say. One of their repeated complaints was that Rafiki’s story didn’t include them. At one point, Timon even mentioned that there are “a lot of stories with all of us,” indicating that Rafiki should tell one of those to Kiara instead.
While this was only a joke, Timon’s words reflected a common complaint leading up to the release ofMufasa: The Lion King—this prequel story didn’t contain enough ofThe Lion King’s lovable characters. Surely, there were other adventures that Disney could have explored within theLion Kinguniverse that would have been a cohesive continuation of Simba’s original story. This would have allowed the first CGI photorealistic sequel to include more of Simba, Nala, Timon, Pumbaa, and more that were largely unnecessary inMufasa: The Lion King.
Timon & Pumbaa’s Inclusion Proves Disney Thought Mufasa Needed More Lion King Characters
Mufasa: The Lion King Bent Its Format To Include More Characters
Though Disney chose to dive into the past with its first sequel to 2019’sThe Lion King, the writers forMufasaclearly agreed that the story needed more of the franchise’s original fan-favorite characters. It’s for precisely this reason that the movie was framed the way it was, with Rafiki, Timon, and Pumbaa telling Kiara Mufasa’s story rather than the entire film taking place in the past like a traditional prequel. Mufasa and Scar’s origin tale really didn’t need Timon and Pumbaa, but Disney must have known that such characters would be greatly missed. So, they were worked in.
Mufasa and Scar’s origin tale really didn’t need Timon and Pumbaa, but Disney must have known that such characters would be greatly missed.
The same is more or less true for Kiara, who is a character introduced in the 1998 animated sequelThe Lion King II: Simba’s Pride. While it was interesting to see how Mufasa’s legacy connected to the future generations of his line, Kiara’s minor adventure in overcoming her fears didn’t mean much in the grand scheme of the story. It seems, instead, thatDisney threw in Kiara’s character for those who loved her 1998 movie, which theCGIThe Lion Kingfranchisehas clearly overwritten.
Disney Should Have Prioritized Other Lion King Movies Over Mufasa
The First CGI Sequel Could Have Organically Contained More Familiar Characters
There’s no question thatMufasa: The Lion Kingtold an intriguing story that needed to be brought to the screen. However, after thesuccess of 2019’sThe Lion King, it may have been better if Disney prioritized some of Simba’s other stories instead. This is especially evident since the House of Mouse clearly understood that audiences wanted to see more characters like Simon and Pumbaa or desired to see Kiara brought to the screen in CGI. Rather than squeezing them into a story they didn’t belong,a sequel could have explored their own organic stories.
The most obvious choice would have been a CGI photorealistic version ofThe Lion King II: Simba’s Pride. This direct-to-video sequel to 1994’sThe Lion Kingwouldn’t necessarily have to be adapted line-by-line like in the 2019 movie. Still, it would have been fun to see a true sequel surrounding Kiara and her romantic troubles with the outsider Kovu in some shape or form. From there, Disney would have been free to expand further, and it would have felt less unnatural to leave out characters like Timon and Pumbaa. Of course,Mufasa: The Lion Kingdidn’t take this route. Still, there may be hope for more stories in the future.
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.
