AfterMufasa: The Lion King, Disney should bringThe Lion Kingfranchise back to its roots. The franchise began with the release ofThe Lion Kingin 1994, which proved to be an immense critical and commercial success that has stood the test of time. The franchise released two more animated movies, withThe Lion King II: Simba’s Pridein 1998 andThe Lion King 1½ in 2004, both of which were direct-to-video. In 2019, the franchise returned to theaters with the “live-action"Lion Kingremake, followed by thestory ofMufasa: The Lion Kingin 2024.
Mufasaacts as both a sequel and prequel to the 2019Lion King, as Rafiki tells Simba and Nala’s daughter, Kiara, about the origins of her grandfather and uncle, Scar. AfterMufasa’s mixed reviewsand an opening weekend that performed below expectations,Mufasa’s box officehas bounced back, and done well for Disney, having grossed $543 million worldwide (viaBox Office Mojo) as its theatrical run continues. Despite the movie’s financial success, the franchise should make a change before making its next movie.
Disney Should Make Another Animated The Lion King Movie Next
The Franchise Is Overdue For An Animated Movie
After making two “live-action"Lion Kingmovies, the franchise’s next movie should be animated. It has been21 years sinceThe Lion King1½was released, which was the last time the franchise had an animated movie. Much of the original movie’s success is due toThe Lion King’s soundtrack, story, and characters, but it is also rooted in the beautiful animation. Through animation, the characters are emotionally expressive and easier to connect to, and the settings are far more vibrant and visually appealing.
5 The Lion King Sequels Mufasa Sets Up
Mufasa: The Lion King may not be the end of the Disney franchise, with the ending offering several paths for potential sequels and spinoffs.
Mufasadid improve on the 2019Lion Kingby making the photorealistic animals more expressive and by telling an original story instead of just being a remake. Nevertheless,Mufasastill lacks the visual colors and style of its animated predecessors. This can be amended by making the nextLion Kingmovie animated, which will return to the roots of the 1994 movie, and one of the major elements that enabled the franchise to become a hit in the first place.
A New Animated The Lion King Movie Is Better Than More “Live-Action” Films
This Change Offers Numerous Benefits
Despite the improvements inMufasa,the animals in Disney’s “live-action” movies will never be as expressive and easy to connect to as they are in animation. Instead of trying to continue perfecting the “live-action” photorealistic animation, Disney should bringThe Lion Kingback to more traditional animation. Given how long it has been since the last animatedLion Kingmovie, this will be more exciting than continuing down the franchise’s current path.
1994
1998
2004
2019
Mufasa: The Lion King
2024
Mufasa: The Lion King’s endingset up several potential sequels and spinoffs, most notably continuing to follow Kiara and Simba and Nala’s son. While any followup on these stories is expected to happen in “live-action,” they could be continued through more traditional animation instead. Going back to animation can also provide the franchise with more creative freedom and not make them beholden to continuing the style or stories ofMufasa: 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.
