Mufasa: The Lion King Has Screened, And Critics Are Feeling The Love For This Disney Origin Story

Taka and Mufasa are shown as cubs in Mufasa: The Lion King.
(Image credit: Walt Disney Studios)

It’s been 30 years since a generation of children were traumatized by watching the mighty king Mufasa falling to his death at the hands of his brother. Simba and the rest of us may have been robbed of the precious wisdom the king had to share, but with Mufasa: The Lion King’s release, the story of Mufasa and Taka will come to life on the 2024 movie calendar. The musical is one of the several upcoming family friendly films, and after catching early screenings, critics are hitting social media with their first reactions.

Mufasa: The Lion King is a prequel, since it tells the origin story of Mufasa (Aaron Pierre) and Taka (Kelvin Harrison Jr.), the lion who will come to be known as Scar. It also serves as a sequel to the 2019 remake, with Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner, John Kani, and Beyoncé Knowles-Carter reprising their roles. Beyoncé’s daughter Blue Ivy Carter makes her feature film debut as Simba and Nala’s daughter Kiara, and with Barry Jenkins directing and songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda, anticipation is high for this one. According to Jazz Tangcay of Variety, it doesn’t disappoint, either, as the critic writes on X (Twitter):

Mufasa: The Lion King is the perfect prequel. So beautifully crafted. The songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda and the score are absolutely divine and music to the ears. Pure joy

It’s not surprising but definitely comforting to hear good things about Lin-Manuel Miranda’s soundtrack, especially following another Disney movie’s release. Moana 2 has been a huge hit at the box office, but many feel not having Miranda hurt the sequel.

Film critic Dempsey Pillot echoes that sentiment, saying that the sequel/prequel is visually stunning and will definitely keep audiences entertained. Pillot says:

Pleased to say Mufasa: The Lion King is really good! But what else would you expect from Barry Jenkins? A biblical exploration of destiny brilliantly disguised as an origin story for Mufasa and Scar. Entertaining, visually stunning, and Lin-Manuel Miranda’s music did not disappoint!

Dana Abercrombie of the Koalition loves the way Mufasa: The Lion King adds more depth to the characters who we’ve been familiar with for decades. She was left without words but was still able to write:

Mufasa: The Lion King left me speechless. Its a story that deserves to be told that makes u question what is destiny. Expertly written & crafted, it adds to The Lion King franchise by adding more dimension to the characters we love & thought we knew. The visual effects are astounding.

Critic Joaquín Teodoro enjoys how the upcoming live-action Disney remake not only brings us a new story from the familiar universe, but it takes the opportunity to correct things from the 2019 offering. Teodoro says:

I really loved Mufasa: The Lion King. Disney brings us a new and original tale of these beloved characters telling two parallel stories and correcting the aspects that didn't work in the 2019 remake. Lion King fans: there are many references to the original trilogy. The music: ❤️

The news outlet Atom was over the moon (or maybe over Pride Rock?) after catching an early screening, lauding the cinematography and visual effects in a thread on X. Congratulations are given to the “magical wizards” who make up Mufasa: The Lion King’s crew. In their words:

LION KING RETURNS WITH GLORY! Cinematic joy & STUNNING visual effects. Amazing music enhances epic imagery. Such thrilling climax that pounds you full of pride. Not just another prequel, it’s one of the BEST Disney movies ever! A fitting end setting up what’s next … Mufasa: The Lion King delivers the emotional origin story of one of cinema’s greatest characters. WOW. The quest for glorious purpose in an adventure of love, duty & honor. WOW. You will laugh, cry & lose yourself in the most visually gorgeous, motion-picture event of the year. WOW.

The feedback doesn’t get much more enthusiastic than that, though there’s not much word about whether or not it will help us millennials get past our decades-old trauma. Thankfully we don’t have to wait too long to grab a Pride Rock popcorn bucket and catch a screening for ourselves. Mufasa: The Lion King hits the big screen on Friday, December 20.

Heidi Venable
Content Producer

Heidi Venable is a Content Producer for CinemaBlend, a mom of two and a hard-core '90s kid. She started freelancing for CinemaBlend in 2020 and officially came on board in 2021. Her job entails writing news stories and TV reactions from some of her favorite prime-time shows like Grey's Anatomy and The Bachelor. She graduated from Louisiana Tech University with a degree in Journalism and worked in the newspaper industry for almost two decades in multiple roles including Sports Editor, Page Designer and Online Editor. Unprovoked, will quote Friends in any situation. Thrives on New Orleans Saints football, The West Wing and taco trucks.