What Identifies the New Speaker for Mufasa in the Production 'Mufasa: The Lion King'?
What Identifies the New Speaker for Mufasa in the Production 'Mufasa: The Lion King'?
The movie "Mufasa: The Lion King" serves as the first installation in the Lion King franchise after the passing of legendary actor James Earl Jones, known for giving life to the renowned character back in 1994. Who's carrying on the legacy now?
Director Barry Jenkins commemorates Jones in "Mufasa: The Lion King" with an opening title that reads, "In remembrance of James Earl Jones."
Jones last voiced Mufasa for the 2019 live-action/CG hybrid remake of "The Lion King." Before that, his deep, resonant voice graced the 1988 sequel to the original hand-drawn "Lion King," titled "The Lion King II: Simba's Pride."
Jones passed away on September 8, at the age of 93. Before his departure, the esteemed actor ensured his enduring voice as "Star Wars'" legendary villain Darth Vader would live on through Disney-owned Lucasfilm's 2022 recreation of his voice using artificial intelligence technology from Ukrainian tech startup Respeecher.
However, Disney manages to keep the franchise alive without Jones through "Mufasa: The Lion King."
Consequently, Aaron Pierre assumes the role of Mufasa, but Disney doesn't claim Pierre as a replacement for Jones. Instead, Pierre provides the character's voice in the new film during an earlier stage of Mufasa's life.
"Mufasa: The Lion King" Introduces Two Versions of Mufasa
The prequel movie "Mufasa: The Lion King" unfolds before the events of 2019's "The Lion King," and like its forerunner, the film combines live-action and CG animation.
According to the plot summary, "Mufasa, a lost cub, encounters a compassionate lion named Taka, the heir to a royal bloodline. Their encounter initiates an extensive journey of a motley crew seeking their destiny."
In essence, "Mufasa: The Lion King" addresses several unanswered questions in the first "Lion King" movie, such as how Mufasa and Taka—who later became Scar—met and the circumstances that led to their estrangement.
The narrative unfolds through the storytelling of Rafiki (John Kana), with "Mufasa: The Lion King" first presenting Mufasa and Taka as cubs (voiced by Braelyn Rankins and Theo Somolu, respectively), later transforming into the adolescent and young adult versions of Mufasa (Aaron Pierre) and Taka (Kelvin Harrison Jr.).
Pierre took on the role of Mufasa following his collaboration with "Mufasa: The Lion King" director Barry Jenkins on his 2021 Prime Video miniseries "The Underground Railroad."
Furthermore, Pierre featured as Malcolm X opposite Harrison's Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in National Geographic's anthology miniseries "Genius" in 2024 and starred in the hit Netflix original movie "Rebel Ridge" in 2024 as the lead.
Pierre expressed his admiration for Jones' original Mufasa portrayal in a recent interview with "Entertainment Weekly," stating, "James Earl Jones, for me, has always been the epitome of inspiration. He's the summit; it doesn't get any higher than James Earl Jones for me."
Despite voicing the character at an early stage of his life, Pierre acknowledged the weight of responsibility to deliver a compelling performance.
"Any fear, any apprehension I felt, which of course I did, actually helped me as I was portraying an adolescent version of this wise, composed, venerated king," Pierre told "Entertainment Weekly."
"In this film, we introduce these characters we cherish so much in their formative years, when they're still figuring themselves out," Pierre added. "They're like wearing shoes that are too big, which they have to grow into."
"Mufasa: The Lion King" hits theaters nationwide on Friday.
In the new film "Mufasa: The Lion King," Aaron Pierre takes on the role of Mufasa, voicing the character during an earlier stage of his life. Despite the legendary performance by James Earl Jones in the original "The Lion King" film, Disney doesn't position Pierre as a replacement for Jones. Director Barry Jenkins pays tribute to Jones by including an opening title in "Mufasa: The Lion King" that reads, "In remembrance of James Earl Jones." Jones voiced Mufasa in the 2019 live-action/CG hybrid remake of "The Lion King," and his deep, resonant voice can also be heard in the 1988 sequel, "The Lion King II: Simba's Pride."