7 questions “Mufasa” answers about the original “The Lion King”

This article contains spoilers for the movie Mufasa: The Lion King.

Mufasa: The Lion King is a prequel to the 1994 animated film and its 2019 remake. Directed by Barry Jenkins and featuring music by Lin-Manuel Miranda, the film tells the story of how Mufasa became king of the Pride Lands and why Scar takes revenge so fiercely against his brother. It depicts what led to this.

Screenwriter Jeff Nathanson said, “There’s a lot to play with here, but you have to be careful because people are very emotional about the original version and there will be reactions from all directions.” “There were probably 10 other things left undone, 10 other things that could have been done. But the original movie is really important to all of us, and let’s honor it as much as we can. I tried.

Nathanson spoke to the Times about the questions “Mufasa” answered about the original “Lion King” movie.

Taka and Mufasa played the roles of young children in “Mufasa: The Lion King.”

(Disney/Disney Enterprises)

How did Mufasa and Scar become brothers?

The film depicts Mufasa as a young boy traveling with his parents when a sudden flash flood sweeps them into the rapids of a river. The orphan is then discovered by another young lion, Taka, who convinces his mother to be proud of him. (As explained in more detail below, Taka is Scar’s name before his downfall.)

“I felt that Mufasa’s worldview, his compassion, his empathy, all of those things were very different from what you would expect from a king,” Nathanson said. “I thought maybe his upbringing wasn’t as traditional as people think. What happened to him and how did he become such a wise and powerful leader? How did he become someone who was not only a great person, but also such a great father?”

However, Taka’s father, a king who prioritizes royal lineage, is not happy about this, calls Mufasa a “feral cat” and forces him to be raised by lionesses. Nevertheless, Taka is thrilled to have a brother and new best friend, and sweetly vows to protect their bond forever.

“This is really a love story between these two brothers,” Nathanson added. “We really wanted to capture what it’s like when you’re young and you have someone who understands you better than anyone else. You know what’s going to happen and where it’s all going.” So it’s bittersweet, but at least everything was fine for now.”

Mufasa and Simba from the 1994 film "Lion King."

What did it mean for Mufasa to climb a cliff?

Fans of the 1994 film know that moment all too well. In the midst of a stampede of chaos caused by Scar, Mufasa attempts to scale a cliff, shouting to his brother to help pull him up. Instead, Scar digs her nails into his leg and throws him to death.

The exchange that ended Mufasa’s life in The Lion King actually saves him in Mufasa. The hawk first digs its claws into Mufasa’s legs and pulls him out of the river, narrowly avoiding the hungry crocodile. (The two cubs then start joking about the big crowds.)

“This is a distinctive and very traumatic memory of the original version. We wanted to lean in and say that this doesn’t always have the same connotations,” Nathanson said of the visual. He talked about redefinition. “We’re trying to play with your memories and expectations, giving people everything you know and have asked for, but also surprising you with new things.”

Why did Mufasa and Taka fall out?

“Mufasa” outlines that their brotherly bond was unbreakable in only one way. Mufasa is raised by the pride’s lionesses as an unwelcome stray dog, so he befriends the hawk’s mother and accompanies her on her hunts. At one point he saves her from an attack by another pride. This action ultimately won the favor of Taka’s father. (Mr. Taka, who was nearby when his mother was attacked, ran away in fear.)

Threatened by a violently conflicted pride, Taka’s father orders him to flee to safety with Mufasa as his protector. They meet Sarabi (Tiffany Boone), a wandering lioness, and both boys fall in love with her, but ultimately she prefers Mufasa. Taka has Mufasa handed over to his mother, father, and unrequited love, but he feels too bad for the younger brother he took in all those years ago, the one who took everything he believed should be his. I also feel deeply betrayed.

“It was important to Barry that it not be sudden, but evolving and layered,” Nathanson said. “Barry is very intentional with his visuals, and there’s a great shot of Hawk just looking at Mufasa with his mother, and yet you start to see the wheels turning, and as the movie progresses it becomes more I was hoping that it would reach the audience.”

Where did Rafiki come from?

Mufasa also tells the story of Rafiki (John Kani), a clever mandrill who was born with a limp and was banished by a group of baboons because he once had visions of his house being repeatedly attacked by cheetahs. are. Although Rafiki often helps his fellow primates by healing them and leading them to water during the dry season, they believe his powers to be evil and vote to expel him.

Later, Rafiki meets Mufasa, Taka, Sarabi, and her flying guardian Zazu (Preston Nyman), and the five progress as a motley crew of wanderers. “There’s only a few scenes where they’re all together, but when they find each other, it’s a lovely moment because you see how bonded they all are,” said Nathanson. During his journey, Rafiki found his symbolic walking stick and carried it to his destination.

How did Taka get that wound?

With malice towards Mufasa, Taka tips off the group’s whereabouts to the leader of a violent pride, who mistakenly believes Mufasa has killed his son. The leader follows them to the peaceful Pride Lands and confronts Mufasa, but just as the leader is about to attack, Taka remembers the time he failed to rescue his mother and musters up a moment of courage to jump in. In front of Mufasa, he gets attacked in the face by the leader. The blow leaves a large scar.

“He betrayed his brother, but he’s redeeming himself in some way at this point,” Nathanson said. “A lot of thought went into this work, and we needed it to feel natural to the story. We tried other versions, but when we landed on this one, we all knew it was the right one. I agreed.”

How did Mufasa become king of the Pride Lands?

When the violent Pride is defeated, the residents of the Pride Lands thank Mufasa for uniting against the invaders and ask him to serve them as king. Mufasa initially declines the offer because he is not of royal blood, but Rafiki explains, “It’s not what you were, it’s what you became.”

As for Taka, who led the enemy to the shelter, Zazu demands his banishment, but Mufasa vows to give him a place in the kingdom, even if he can never say his name again. “Then call me Scar and I’ll never forget what I did,” Taka tells him.

“If you watch the movies back to back, you understand why Scar is sitting in a cage with such psychotic rage,” Nathanson said. “He is truly of royal blood, and he still clings to that idea all these years later. And certainly, we as filmmakers believe that blood isn’t enough, but character is enough.” That’s what I’m saying.

Simba on Pride Rock in the 1994 film "Lion King."

How was Pride Rock born?

During the climactic battle, an earthquake hits the Pride Lands, causing mountains to crumble. What remains is what fans of the original film know as Pride Rock, the landing spot where the Lion King and his subjects speak in the 1994 film.

“In the script, Pride Rock was already there when they arrived,” Nathanson said, “and our production designer said, ‘What if, during an earthquake, it pops out like that? What would happen?’ It was a beautiful image and certainly a beautiful idea. And now this movie is one of my favorite pieces. ”