Mufasa: The Lion King Breaks a Problematic Disney Trend

08/05/2024

Mufasa: The Lion King looks to take the world of Disney remakes in a new direction as a prequel.
The first Lion King was criticized for being too close to the original.
The latest prequel pushes the boundaries and tells a new story and Disney’s live-action department can learn a lot from its performance.

Disney is in a fascinating position as it gears itself up for a potential Renaissance era anew. The Walt Disney Company has ebbed and flowed over the years, but its brand name and catalog of incredible classics have always remained. As part of its evolution, Disney has gone back to older films to renew them with original ideas and a live-action edge. But, the company is trying something a little bit different with the upcoming release of Mufasa: The Lion King, which is seemingly breaking all the rules and completely twisting what audiences have come to expect from this range of live-action remakes.

The Walt Disney Company certainly has its streaming service to rely upon, and it continues to experiment with live-action and animated programming, original content that may one day inspire a new generation of storytellers. However, it’s intriguing to see that the company is also testing out new ideas on the big screen and inventing within worlds that fans are so familiar with. Mufasa: The Lion King might just be the start of a new period for Disney, ushering in that renaissance that the company is hoping for. The film should thus break a problematic trend that had previously threatened to weaken Disney despite the financial success it has achieved. Live-action remakes are changing, and with them, Disney strengthens its image and, more importantly, improves upon its storytelling again.

Disney’s Live-Action Slate Is a Key Part of the Company’s Growth

Disney’s first-ever live-action movie was Treasure Island in 1950.

mufasa: the lion king breaks a problematic disney trend

The Great Mouse Detectives

This Dark Age Disney Film May Have Saved Walt Disney Animation

The Little Mermaid may have ushered in The Disney Renaissance, but The Great Mouse Detective changed the financial fortunes of Disney animation first.

Disney might be most well known for its animated features, but it has dipped its toes into the waters of live-action cinema since its earliest days. The company has had great triumphs in adapting theme park rides like Pirates of the Caribbean and in its live-action remake slate. Indeed, movies such as Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and Pete’s Dragon have all revisited past ideas to great critical or commercial fanfare. The tradition of these movies is to adapt the original animated hit almost beat for beat, perhaps with a few tweaks. Some, such as The Jungle Book, actually improve upon the original material, showing audiences the full potential of that particular story. But others, such as Peter and Wendy, don’t quite hit the mark. Although they are visually vibrant, well-produced and boast big thrills, they ultimately remind audiences of the original gem that inspired it in the first place. Because some of these releases have been runaway hits at the box office, Disney has continued with the strategy of live-action remakes. After all, these productions are being introduced to a new generation and strengthening that brand integrity.

Disney does have a history of experimenting in this medium though, and there are some properties that have benefitted from that variation. Christopher Robin told the story of an aging titular hero, reunited with his childhood toys after losing his way. Maleficent revisits the classic antagonist from Sleeping Beauty but redefines her as an anti-hero to fear and respect. Cruella does the same with the foe of 101 Dalmatians, attempting to lend some humanity to the seemingly inhuman character. Each of these releases attempted to do something a little different with the original property and were all the more intriguing for it. This could very much be deemed as the live-action era for Disney if this kind of storytelling continues, but if the company sticks to the formula and simply remakes old favorites moment for moment, then at a certain stage, there will be audience fatigue.

The Lion King Was a Box Office Hit, But Stuck to the Formula

Disney’s first live-action remake was Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book in 1994.

Oliver & Co Disney

Charles Dickens Inspired a Forgotten Disney Classic That Saved Disney

Walt Disney Studios is no stranger to releasing iconic movies. But one forgotten great was inspired by a literary classic and also saved Disney.

The Lion King is still perceived to be one of the greatest animated movies that Disney has ever produced and has ever been created within the medium itself. It’s why fans are always keen to see whether connected shows like The Lion Guard factor into Disney+’s future animated slate. It was only a matter of time until The Lion King got its own live-action iteration, and when it finally got released, people had one major question on their minds. What was the point? Perhaps more than any other live-action remake, The Lion King hit all of the same plot points, was still animated albeit in a photo-realistic CGI form, and only included a couple of new songs. There was no great twist like Cruella, and nothing about it rivaled the original like The Jungle Book. The Lion King stuck to the formula, and while it was well-produced, had beautiful music, stunning visuals and a great cast, it was never going to surpass the first film. The fact is, The Lion King is just too good to really be rivaled.

The love for the story and for everything the original movie boasted meant that The Lion King was still a box office hit. This was a fun new way to experience a classic tale, and fans love these characters and this world. It explains why there was a lot of buzz to get a first look at Mufasa: The Lion King because viewers are genuinely thrilled to be inhabiting this landscape again. There’s something so timeless and immersive about how this story unfolds, and the update meant that The Lion King was relevant all over again. For Disney, that’s a big win, but creatively, there’s so much more to be done. Luckily, the popularity of the live-action remake has set the stage for innovation once more. Disney is taking the plunge and breaking the formula in a very unusual way. The Lion King live-action remake might have reflected what Disney has been doing for many years now, but Mufasa: The Lion King will be a showcase and celebration of what comes next.

Mufasa: The Lion King Breaks Tradition From What Audiences Have Come to Expect

The Lion King has two sequels, The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride & The Lion King 1.

Cassandra holds Pascal in a small cage in tangled the series.

One Underrated Animated Series Features Disney’s Best Twist Villain

Disney has become well-known for its twist villains. However, its best one comes in a little-known animated sequel to one of its best movies.

The Lion King has an array of sequels and spin-offs that continue Simba’s story and provide further insight into the ensemble cast and the rich history of this fictional world. Most of these were straight-to-DVD or intended for channels like Disney Jr. They are not quite as widely seen as the original Lion King movie, nor did they necessarily come to mind when the live-action version was produced. But when Disney announced a sequel of some kind, fans immediately went back to those animated iterations, assuming that the company would simply adapt yet another tale from the past. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Disney is breaking all the rules and going on an original journey, expanding upon the live-action world in a way the animated iteration didn’t get to on the big screen. Mufasa: The Lion King is not only going into theaters, but more importantly, it’s a prequel, not a sequel.

Mufasa: The Lion King has already received a trailer, which highlights that the movie is keeping the same visual style as the first but embarking on a very different story. This is going to explore Simba’s father, the titular King, and his own journey to the throne. With some returning cast members and some links to the events of The Lion King, it seems that the Mufasa spin-off will be largely taking place in the past. It’s a great idea and one that gives Disney an opportunity to craft an arc that audiences genuinely haven’t seen before. This is a way to avoid fatigue and bring audiences back to cinemas. There’s nothing out there like it and while the argument could have been made that the live-action Lion King was pointless, no one can have that same take for this iteration. New music from Lin-Manuel Miranda is going to round the piece out, with the hope that it can rival the work of Elton John and Tim Rice from the original. This is a bold play for the audience’s attention and one that should pay off.

Disney’s Live-Action Future Could Be In Sequels & Spinoffs

Post Mufasa: The Lion King, Snow White is the next live-action Disney remake.

Split Images of Moana, Lion King, and Wish

Is Walt Disney Studios on the Verge of Another Renaissance?

Disney’s been relying heavily on sequels and its own formulas in recent years. If the past is any indication, it could be due for another upswing.

For Disney to continue to intrigue fans and ensure that its line-up feels fresh and not just a rehash of the past, it’s vital to take note of the work that Mufasa: The Lion King is doing. Although it’s unclear how the picture will perform, there has to be a case that it will do better than the original Lion King because it is totally unique. There’s been some discussion over whether Disney should continue with the live-action remakes altogether, but if they lead to this kind of opportunity, then they are well worth the investment. Mufasa: The Lion King, thankfully, isn’t the only picture that’s expanding upon a familiar world. Although Disney might have live-action remakes for the likes of Snow White, Hercules and Lilo & Stitch in the pipeline, it also has sequels for films like Aladdin, once again treading new ground and exploring paths that haven’t been traveled. With these new interpretations comes new locations, characters, songs and moments that Disney can then add to the brand and craft attractions, merchandise and events based around. It’s a win for the company and a win for audiences who are looking for something new.

Disney is pressing ahead with a range of new initiatives to tackle its desire to rise back to the top of the industry. A smaller slate of Marvel projects, a return to cinemas for Star Wars, sequels to hits like Moana, and a focus on original animated storytelling are all brilliant ways for Disney to strengthen its position and build toward that Renaissance era. But the live-action movies can also play a pivotal point in that. Remakes are going to happen. It’s likely that smaller projects like The Lone Ranger are already being eyed for their own return to screen, while underrated hits such as Atlantis and The Hunchback of Notre Dame vie for their chance to shine. But whether there’s a direct remake to be created or an original take to be fueled, Disney’s future success could depend on its ability to keep innovating. Mufasa: The Lion King is an exciting evolution of the live-action concept that appeals to old and new fans alike. It’s a risk that should pay off and open up a future of big, bold ideas that refresh iconic characters.

Mufasa The Lion King Film Poster

Mufasa: The Lion King

School superintendent's youngest son dies from his injuries after being sucked down storm drain and swept under neighboring streets

34 minutes ago