‘Mufasa: The Lion King’: New Image Confirms the Return of Rafiki!! Check It Out!!

One of the most beloved characters from The Lion King will be seen once again in the new movie. A new image released by Fandango shows Rafiki (John Kani) coming back to deliver more wisdom in Mufasa: The Lion King. The upcoming prequel will tell the story of how the titular character came to be the respected monarch seen in the previous movie. This particular chapter of Mufasa’s (Aaron Pierre) life has never been explored on the big screen before as Mufasa: The Lion King will show audiences a side of the Pride Lands that they have never seen.

Mufasa: The Lion King will reunite viewers with the characters from the 2019 blockbuster directed by Jon Favreau. The young Kiara (Blue Ivy Carter) has plenty to learn before she grows up to be as brave as Simba (Donald Glover) and her grandfather. But before her journey can truly begin, she will learn more about Mufasa’s complicated past, giving Mufasa: The Lion King the opportunity to tell the king’s story through flashbacks. In order to lead the Pride Lands into the future, Simba’s family needs to be aware of their past. The prequel will also dive deep into the relationship between Mufasa and Taka (Kelvin Harrison Jr.), the lion who will eventually become Scar (Chiwetel Ejiofor).

After the live-action/CGI The Lion King made over $1 billion at the global box office before the pandemic hit, Disney knew that they had to continue to explore the Pride Lands in some way. Barry Jenkins directs the prequel that will bring the franchise back to the big screen without directly adapting The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride. The result will be seen on the big screen next month when one of the studio’s most beloved properties makes a comeback.

‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ Features a Mighty Voice Cast

The previous Lion King movie featured a very talented voice cast to bring the animals of the Pride Lands to life. Some of these familiar faces will be present when Mufasa: The Lion King premieres on the big screen. Seth Rogen and Billy Eichner will reprise their roles as Pumbaa and Timon, respectively. But it will be Aaron Pierre and Kelvin Harrison Jr.’s turn to grab the spotlight as the leads of the story. The history of the Pride Lands will forever be changed thanks to Mufasa: The Lion King.

You can check out the new image from Mufasa: The Lion King below, before the movie premieres in theaters on December 20: