Mufasa: The Lion King
Disney ’s much - anticipated prequelMufasa : The Lion Kinggot off to an underwhelming start with a unsatisfying opening weekend , go away many inquire what go wrong at the box office for what seemed like a surefire winner . The follow - up to Disney ’s box role juggernautThe Lion Kingchronicles the story of Mufasa ’s youth andrise to the throne of the Pride Lands , told via an extended flashback . Some familiar faces takings , as the narrative is really relayed as a chronicle enjoin to Simba ’s daughter , Timon , and Pumbaa by Rafiki .
Unlike its predecessor , Mufasa : The Lion Kingcontained an original fib in the lore ofThe Lion Kinguniverse . With original songs from Lin - Manuel Miranda and Academy Award - winning film director Barry Jenkins at the helm , expectations were intelligibly mellow for one of Disney ’s most expensive cinema of the last few years . Despitefixing one ofThe Lion King ’s big flawswith more expressive animate being life , critic and audience were carve up onMufasa , which unfortunately yielded a box office total far lower than expectations in its opening weekend .
Mufasa : The Lion King delivers a soundtrack with seven original Song dynasty , but how does it liken to the original Lion King ’s iconic soundtrack ?
Mufasa: The Lion King Opened To Nearly Half Of Its Projected Box Office Performance
The Prequel Fell Well Short Of Most Estimates
According toDeadline , early November estimate point thatMufasa : The Lion Kingwas expected to generate a healthy domesticated boxwood office staff total in its first weekend ; the most usually - fancy reach was between $ 60-$65 million . In that circumstance , Mufasa : The Lion King ’s possibility weekend was an unmitigated disaster , asit opened with just $ 35 million domestically across the weekend before Christmas . There are myriad reason why any movie flops , but Disney had see a vast resurgence of late at the box office , which makesMufasa ’s low domestic aggregate that much more detectable .
Mufasa: The Lion King Also Struggled Internationally In Its Opening Weekend
It Topped Out More Than $50 million Short Of Projections
Oftentimes , picture show ( peculiarly blockbusters ) will fare better overseas than they do in the US , which can be their saving grace of God when it comes to profitability . Another Disney movie , Pirates of the Caribbean : On Stranger Tides , excellently earned a billion at the global box office despite an underwhelming domesticated total that would have been $ 130 million inadequate of its budget . That unfortunately was n’t the typeface forMufasa : The Lion King , as it realize just $ 122 million worldwide . With initial projections puttingMufasa ’s worldwide scuttle weekend total at around $ 180 million , the external haulage was just as unsatisfying as the domestic .
Mufasa: The Lion King’s Opening Weekend Is A Fraction Of 2019’s The Lion King
The 2019 Adaptation Was One Of The Most Successful Family Movies Ever
Mufasa : The Lion King ’s early corner bureau unsuccessful person looks even more dramatic when liken to its predecessor . The Lion Kingdebuted in 2019 with an astonishing domestic scuttle weekend box function aggregate of $ 192 million , more than five time that of the 2024 prequel . The Lion Kingwound up hit an middle - opening $ 543.6 million domesticated total , and an extra $ 1.113 billion from other countries around the globe , bringing its loge office total to more than $ 1.6 billion . The Lion King ’s global debut in particular was impressive , asits $ 446 million haul put it in the top 10 picture show of all - time .
The Lion King - Key Franchise Details
Movie
Custom image by Ana Nieves
Release Date
Budget
Box Office Gross
Image via Disney
RT Tomatometer Score
RT Popcornmeter Score
The Lion King
1994
$ 45 million
$ 978.8 million
93 %
2019
$ 250-$260 million
Image via Disney
$ 1.657 billion
51 %
88 %
2024
$ 200 million
$ 125 million ( and counting )
55 %
That final boxwood post total madeThe Lion Kingthe highest - gross animise movie of all time , a title it just recently lose when it was surpassed byInside Out 2 ’s $ 1.69 billion box office amount . Mufasa : The Lion Kingopening to just a fraction ofThe Lion King ’s amount will almost surely be consider a letdown for Disney , no matter what the final box office total is .
Why Mufasa Performed So Much Worse Than The Lion King
Several Elements Combined For The Box Office Flop
trope via Disney
Despite the high-pitched expectations , Mufasa : The Lion Kingactually had quite a few elements cultivate against it from a box office view . For one , it was free at a fourth dimension whenthere was a serious amount of challenger for kinsperson in theaters all at once . The late installment in the popularSonic the Hedgehogseries debuted the same day asMufasa , which doubtless impacted its box seat position potential as families chose one or the other . On top of that , there was still a fair amount of hangover from two other juggernauts inMoana 2andWicked .
2019’sThe Lion Kingdebuted with virtually no heading - to - headland competition at the box seat office as far as family pic are touch on ; it was released a full four week after Pixar’sToy Story 4hit theaters , and more than two week after Marvel’sSpider Man : Far From Home .
Mufasa : The Lion Kingalso boasted far less champion power than its predecessor ; well-nigh every character inThe Lion Kingwas voiced by a Hollywood A - lister , including Beyoncé Knowles - Carter , Donald Glover , John Oliver , Chiwetel Ejiofor , Seth Rogen , and James Earl Jones reprising his role as Mufasa . Some of the vocalization doer returned for brief cameos , whileTimon and Pumbaa returned in earnest for the prequel . However , their front was unneeded and , frankly , out of place in the more serious narration . Talented though the phonation rove ofMufasais , it ’s lacking the household names thatThe Lion Kingboasted .
The prequel also lacked the sheer nostalgiaand pastime of the originalThe Lion King . The 1994 animated translation is among the most darling and celebrated animated films of all prison term , and many of the kids and teens who grew up with that movie are now parent themselves . Seeing one of their favorite animated pic take to life has obvious attraction for that audience . Mufasa , on the other hired man , held none of the same amotional attachment , and the interest in an original narrative simply is n’t there .
Can Mufasa: The Lion King Recover At The Box Office After Its Rough Opening?
There Is Still Hope For Disney’s Most Significant Holiday Season Film
Despite the many reasons it has flopped so far , all Leslie Townes Hope is not lost forMufasa : The Lion Kingat the box seat office . As uninspiring as the opening weekend may have been , there are really no major threats to its sovereignty as the top family movie in theatersover the final two weeks of December . Kids will be off from school and adults will be off from work , pull up stakes more clip and more opportunity to get to the theater .
With the holidays in playing period , there is still plenty of time forMufasa : The Lion Kingto not only make its budget back , but turn into a lawful earnings - earner for the House of Mouse .
Moana 2andWickedwill be another week take from the center of care , and thefamilies that may have selectedSonic the Hedgehog 3overMufasacould for sure circle back to the Disney prequel . It seems likely that the terminal box office total forMufasa : The Lion Kingwill still be disappointing in the grand scheme of thing , as it will be hard for the motion-picture show to completely bounce back after such a rocky start . However , there is still heap of time for the movie to not only make its budget back , but bend into a logical profit - earner for the House of Mouse .
reference : Deadline
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Cast
Mufasa : The Lion King explores the origins of the dear persona Mufasa , focusing on his youth as a lose cub who encounters Taka , a royal heir . Their group meeting initiates an larger-than-life journeying of self - discovery and destiny , boast a radical of misfit fellow navigate the challenges of their populace .
