When the animated animal adventure The Lion King first premiered in 1994, no one could predict just how significant its cultural impact would be in the decades to come.
Popular with both children and adults alike, the feature film was critically acclaimed, and to this day remains the highest-grossing traditionally animated film of all time.
WATCH NOW: Mufasa: The Lion King Trailer.
As part of its enduring legacy, a follow-up sequel – The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride – was released in 1998. A prequel was released eight years later – The Lion King 1 1/2.
Two television series – The Lion King’s Timon and Pumbaa (1995 – 1999) – and The Lion Guard (2016 – 2019) were also released alongside a musical that debuted on Broadway in 1997.
But it was in 2019 when The Lion King was given a new lease on life with the long-awaited live-action remake of the beloved classic.
Although the story and songs featured remained unchanged, a new cohort of stars lent their voices to the iconic characters, excluding James Earl Jones who reprised his role as Mufasa.
What is The Lion King about?
The Lion King follows Simba, a young lion cub who is heir to his father Mufasa’s kingdom on the grassy plains of Africa.
After Simba’s wicked uncle Scar murders Mufasa and tricks Simba into thinking it is his fault, Simba flees into the wilderness, leaving Mufasa to rule the Pride.
But with help from his friends – a meerkat named Timon, a Warthog named Pumbaa, and his childhood friend Nala – Simba finds his courage again and returns to reclaim his throne from his evil uncle.
What is Mufasa: The Lion King about?
This sequel to Jon Favreau’s highly anticipated live-action adaption of the Disney classic will also serve as a prequel.
After becoming king of the Pride Lands, Simba is determined for his cub to follow in his paw prints. In a series of flashbacks, audiences will be taken on a journey through Mufasa’s life through Simba’s anecdotes to his daughter Kiara.
The official synopsis reads: “Told in flashbacks, the story introduces Mufasa as an orphaned cub, lost and alone until he meets a sympathetic lion named Taka—the heir to a royal bloodline. The chance meeting sets in motion an expansive journey of an extraordinary group of misfits searching for their destiny—their bonds will be tested as they work together to evade a threatening and deadly foe.”
Mufasa: The Lion King will be released in Australian cinemas on December 20th, 2024.
Where can I watch The Lion King in Australia?
The Lion King, The Lion King II, The Lion King 1 1/2, The Lion King: Timon and Pumbaa, and The Lion King: The Lion’s Guard can all be streamed in Australia on Disney Plus.
The Lion King live-action movie can also be streamed in Australia on Disney Plus as will its follow-up Mufasa: The Lion King once it leaves cinemas.
Stream The Lion King on Disney Plus from $13.99/mth.
