'Mufasa: The Lion King' roars into theaters with new trailer

Get ready for the highly anticipated prequel to the 2019 live-action remake of The Lion King!

At the D23 fan event in Anaheim, California, on August 9, Walt Disney Studios unveiled a new full trailer for Mufasa: The Lion King.

The film explores the origin story of the beloved character Mufasa, from his humble beginnings as an orphaned cub to his rise as the legendary king of the Pride Lands.

The movie also delves into Mufasa's complex relationship with his brother Scar (formerly known as Taka) and features appearances by Kiara, the daughter of Simba and Nala, as well as fan-favourite characters Timon and Pumbaa.

"What you'll learn from the story is that Mufasa is who he is ... because of the family and the friends that he has,” director Barry Jenkins said at Disney's D23 Expo back in 2022. “And so I saw myself in that. I thought: 'This is a really beautiful story to tell.' "

The star-studded cast of Mufasa: The Lion King includes familiar voices from the 2019 remake, such as Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner, John Kani, and Beyoncé, reprising their roles as Simba, Pumbaa, Timon, Rafiki, and Nala.

Newcomers to the cast include Aaron Pierre as young Mufasa, Kelvin Harrison Jr. as young Scar, and Blue Ivy Carter in her feature film debut as Kiara, alongside Tiffany Boone, Mads Mikkelsen, Thandiwe Newton, and Lennie James in supporting roles.

Mufasa: The Lion King will hit theatres globally on December 20.