First “Mufasa: The Lion King” Trailer Unveils Beyoncé’s Daughter Blue Ivy Carter as Lion Cub Kiara
The first trailer for Mufasa: The Lion King has roared to life online.
“This story begins far beyond the mountains and the shadows, on the other side of the light.” So begins our first peek at Mufasa: The Lion King, which, as the title suggests, will tell the origin story of the legendary Mufasa, a lion who was born “without a drop of nobility in his blood.” The legendary lion king was voiced by James Earl Jones in both the iconic 1993 animated original and the photo-realistic 2019 remake, but here, the future lion king is voiced by Aaron Pierre, a fitting choice for director Barry Jenkins, who previously deployed the talented Pierre in his incredible series The Underground Railroad, adapted from Colson Whitehead’s sensational novel.
This first taste of Jenkins’ Mufasa is short on plot details but goes deep on stunning visuals, setting up the rich, wild world that Mufasa will one day come to rule over. The story about Mufasa’s legend is told, once again, by the master mandrill storyteller Rafiki (voiced by John Kani) to a young lion cub named Kiara, the daughter of King Simba and Queen Nala, each voiced once again by Donald Glover and Beyoncé, the stars of the 2019 remake. Kiara is being voiced by none other than Beyoncé’s daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, marking her first big role.
The legend of Mufasa that we’ll be told in the new film reveals how the future king was once an orphaned cub who was lost and alone when he met Taka (voiced by Kelvin Harrison Jr.), a lion prince with a royal bloodline who treats the young Mufasa as a brother. This chance encounter sets Mufasa on his path, which includes running into a few well-known and beloved Lion King legends in Pumbaa and Timon, voiced again by Seth Rogen and Billy Eichner, respectively.
This assortment of top-flight talent and the sensational photo-realistic effects led by a filmmaker of Barry Jenkins caliber makes Mufasa: The Lion King one of this year’s most intriguing titles. Jenkins directs from a script by Jeff Nathanson, and works once again with his longtime collaborator cinematographer James Laxton.
Check out the trailer below. Mufasa: The Lion King roars into theaters on December 20:
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Featured image: Mufasa (voiced by Braelyn Rankins) in Disney’s MUFASA: THE LION KING. Photo courtesy of Disney. © 2024 Disney Enterprises Inc. All Rights Reserved.
