Mufasa is one of the most iconic Disney parents of all time. Even without much in terms of screen time, he left a huge impression on kids and made his death scene one of the saddest in any animated movie.
Now, he's getting the prequel treatment. Mufasa: The Lion King will star Aaron Pierre, who recently spoke with Collider about how his performance will be different.
"Well, first and foremost, I want to acknowledge that James Earl Jones is an enormous inspiration of mine," Pierre said. "I feel very honoured to be walking into this role after him. I think the key difference will be that here we're exploring Mufasa in a different capacity. When Sir James Earl Jones portrayed him, this is Mufasa in his full capacity, in his rhythm, and I think here we're exploring Mufasa prior to that point. What does this young lion look like before he is who we know him as, and he is discovering his rhythm, how he conducts himself, how he engages with his community and his loved ones? So, I think that's the key thing. It's figuring it out."
It'll be weird hearing Mufasa without the booming tones of James Earl Jones, but even if this movie seems unnecessary, it's almost certain to draw crowds.
Will you be watching The Lion King prequel?