Disney has released the first trailer for Mufasa: The Lion King, Barry Jenkins’ continuation of the live-action Disney remake universe. It certainly has Mufasa. It certainly has a lot of other animals that exist in this trailer just for you to go “look, animals! Lion King!” It also has… Beyoncé’s daughter?
Okay, so Blue Ivy Carter is only in the trailer as a title card, sure, but she’s also part of the framing device that Jenkins is bringing to Mufasa—and perhaps the most intriguing thing about the movie so far, considering the teaser is simply just a National Geographic documentary fancam, but with more CG animal work than you can shake a lion’s mane at.
It turns out Blue Ivy will be playing Kiara, the daughter of Nala and Simba (with Beyoncé and Donald Glover, respectively, reprising their roles from the Lion King remake), who will be told the history of her legendary grandfather’s rise to power as the framing device for the film—as Rafiki (played by John Kani, and Kagiso Lediga as his younger self), with a few interjections from Timon and Pumbaa (Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen), recounts how he first cross paths with the young Mufasa (Aaron Pierre).
Also interesting? Just how insanely stacked the cast is. Here’s the full details Disney released this morning, alongside the fact that Lin-Manuel Miranda will write the film’s original songs:
Aaron Pierre as Mufasa
Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Taka, a lion prince with a bright future who accepts Mufasa into his family as a brother
Tiffany Boone as Sarabi
Kagiso Lediga as Young Rafiki
Preston Nyman as Zazu
Mads Mikkelsen as Kiros, a formidable lion with big plans for his pride
Thandiwe Newton as Taka’s mother, Eshe
Lennie James as Taka’s father, Obasi
Anika Noni Rose as Mufasa’s mother, Afia
Keith David as Mufasa’s father, Masego
John Kani as Rafiki
Seth Rogen as Pumbaa
Billy Eichner as Timon
Donald Glover as Simba
Introducing Blue Ivy Carter as Kiara, daughter of King Simba and Queen Nala
And Beyoncé Knowles-Carter as Nala
Mufasa: The Lion King is set to hit theaters December 20.
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