Walt Disney Studios roared into theaters over the holidays withMufasa: The Lion King,the story that revealed the background of one of cinema’s most iconic characters. Like many Disney projects, thefilm is a musical adaptation, and its box office returns have thrust the film into a record-breaking group:Mufasais now one of the top 10 highest-grossing movie musicals of all time, according toThe Numbers. The film was able to attain this milestone after only a few weeks in theaters.
Mufasahasgarnered a global box office totalof $542 million through Jan. 14. This includes a domestic box office haul of $189 million and international totals of $352 million. The film’s worldwide totals passed the $500 million mark this weekend, helping it vault it into the tenth place all-time for movie musicals, ahead of 2016’sLa La Land,which brought in a total of $506 million. Reports indicate thatMufasawas made for about $200 million, meaning that the project has more than doubled its budget.
However, it still remains far short of the highest-grossing movie musical ever, 2019’sFrozen II,which brought in a staggering $1.4 billion globally. The first film in the franchise,Frozen,sits in second place with $1.2 billion at the box office. The Numbers does not consider 2019’sThe Lion King,the predecessor toMufasa,a musical movie; if it did, however, the film would place first on the list with a $1.6 billion worldwide haul, far above whatMufasahas earned to date.
‘Mufasa’ Tells the Story of the Famed Lion
Mufasadepicts the early life of the eponymous lion, voiced byAaron Pierre(in the original 1994 film, Mufasa is voiced by the lateJames Earl Jones,who is remembered in a title card at the beginning ofMufasa). Itfollows Mufasa as he is separated from his parentsin a flood and crosses paths with another lion cub, Taka (Kelvin Harrison Jr.). Taka is the heir to his lion kingdom, and the pair grow up as close friends. However, when a hoard of white lions invades Taka and Mufasa’s land, the pair must go on a journey to save their pride and stop the invaders. As this happens, Taka’s attitude begins shifting, and he eventually becomes known as the villainous Scar.
The film also stars many characters from the 2019 project and the original 1994 classic. This includes Rafiki (John Kani), Timon (Billy Eichner), and Pumbaa (Seth Rogen). This trio reprises their roles from the 2019 film alongsideDonald GloverandBeyoncé Knowles-Carteras Simba and Nala. The film also featuresMads Mikkelsen, Thandie Newton, Tiffany Boone,and more. It was directed byBarry Jenkinsfrom a screenplay byJeff Nathanson, and features music fromLin-Manuel Miranda.The film comes from Walt Disney Pictures and was produced byAdele RomanskiandMark Ceryak.
Mufasa: The Lion Kingis in theaters now.
Mufasa: The Lion King
Mufasa: The Lion King is a prequel to the live-action remake of the original Disney animated film, The Lion King.
Buy Tickets
