Quick Links 'Mufasa: The Lion King' Had a Tough Act to Follow 'Mufasa' Never Stood a Chance There Were Other Ways 'Mufasa' Underwhelmed Too It Felt Like Mufasa Himself Wasn't There
With the recent release of Mufasa: The Lion King, the world has been collectively celebrating the latest installment of The Lion King franchise with as much gusto as ever. If there's one thing that sets The Lion King franchise apart from most other Disney family movies, it's that, universally, adults love this one as much as the kids do, and Mufasa did its best to capture the same magic. Brilliantly done, it's proven a more than worthy entrant into one of Disney's most beloved modern film dynasties.
No one can argue that it spared no expense to ensure it was packed with talent and quality in every aspect. Not only were its visuals exquisite, with beautifully rendered CGI, but everything from its story to its most heart-wrenching moments was in line with what audiences had come to expect from this truly fantastic franchise. However, despite this, there was still one aspect in which the film did noticeably seem to fall short.
When it came to its songs and music, it has to be said that Mufasa hasn't quite made the grade. Not that the songs weren't good -- just that they weren't of the standards we'd come to expect from the magic of anything associated with The Lion King.
'Mufasa: The Lion King' Had a Tough Act to Follow
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2 /5 Mufasa: The Lion King
Release Date December 20, 2024 Runtime 118 Minutes Cast Aaron Pierre , Kelvin Harrison Jr. , Tiffany Boone , Kagiso Lediga , Preston Nyman , Blue Ivy Carter , John Kani , Mads Mikkelsen , Seth Rogen , Billy Eichner Main Genre Adventure
The truth is that Mufasa was always facing an uphill battle to better the music and songs of the first film. That's because in 1994, when The Lion King first came out, it was clear for everyone to see that something special had been born. The film was an instant hit and became massively famous the world over, with Lion King hysteria seemingly everywhere all at once. Aside from its amazing cast and characters being a major reason behind its success, its music and songs were definitely a contributing factor, too.
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Among them, there were, of course, original songs by Elton John. Of those songs, "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?" wound up charting at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 while being a number one hit in France and Canada. It wasn't just that a true musical genius and icon had composed and sung it, but the fact that it was the kind of song that just touched you in your bones from the very first time you heard it. So undeniable was its quality that it also went on to win a trifecta of musical awards by scoring Best Original Song at the 67th Academy Awards, the Grammy for the Best Male Performance, and a Golden Globe.
'Mufasa' Never Stood a Chance Close
This aspect of the soundtrack alone would have been enough to make it a tough act to follow, but The Lion King also featured the likes of original music by Hans Zimmer. Meanwhile, the likes of Whoopi Goldberg, Nathan Lane, and Ernie Sabella performed other songs, like the unforgettable "Hakuna Matata" (based on a Swahili expression that does indeed mean "no worries"). Aside from all this, "Circle of Life" was composed by both Elton John and Hans Zimmer -- talk about a musical match made in heaven! With that quality going for it, Mufasa, or any movie that followed, was always bound to struggle with keeping up the same standard.
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In comparison, Mufasa attempted to replicate the magic of the original film but simply could not. Among one of the factors involved in its failure to muster the same brilliance was likely the fact that Hans Zimmer, who was slated to work on the film, later dropped out before production. In his stead, Lin-Manuel Miranda was brought in. While he did an admirable job, with the likes of Lebo M (who performed the iconic opening vocals for "Circle of Life") working on new songs for the film, like "Ngomso," none were quite able to command anything close to the same attention as the original Lion King soundtrack.
There Were Other Ways 'Mufasa' Underwhelmed Too Close
For an entire generation, The Lion King was the Disney film -- the quintessential one that, mind the pun, claimed the lion's share of our attention and affection. Aside from its magical and deeply immersive story, it also featured a talented cast that was perfection. Everyone was terrific, from Jeremy Irons as Scar to Nathan Lane as Timon and the brilliant Rowan Atkinson as Zazu; all that, without even mentioning the standout part of The Lion King -- the late, great James Earl Jones as Mufasa. It was this final part that, of course, gave the film so much of its clout.
It Felt Like Mufasa Himself Wasn't There Close
Given the effect of Mufasa on the entire franchise (from the very first time his death was seen in cinemas throughout the world), it always made sense that he should get his own movie. As Mufasa director Barry Jenkins expressed to USA Today, Mufasa was an animated fictional father and a lion, yet somehow managed to feel like the kind of father any child could ever want:
"I grew up without a traditional father figure and so you look to the world for those father figures. That's just printed on generations of children, of adults, of citizens, across languages, across cultures. To me, he always symbolized this idea of greatness, of leadership, of just someone who lived a life that was noble in actions and not just in title."
For so many, The Lion King's success was also due to the immense legacy of James Earl Jones and how he had shaped the character. With the sad passing of Jones earlier this year at the age of 93, the fact that he was never able to record any new material as Mufasa for the film was perhaps also why, as good a movie as it was, it always seemed to lack the kind of immediate and natural impact of the original Lion King. For many, it simply felt like the real Mufasa wasn't there. Mufasa: The Lion King is now showing in theaters.