Disney’s Expanded Lion King Franchise: Options for Watching Mufasa: The Lion King
Disney has expanded the Lion King franchise with a prequel/sequel, Mufasa: The Lion King, directed by Barry Jenkins. The film is a prequel that explores the life of Mufasa and Scar, framed as a story told by Rafiki, Timon, and Pumbaa to Simba and Nala’s daughter. The movie is the fifth installment in the franchise, following the original animated film, the 2019 remake, and two direct-to-DVD animated installments.
Mufasa: The Lion King releases in theaters on December 20, 2024, with options to see the film in IMAX and 3D. Audiences can check out showtimes locally to determine what formats and times are available.
The film will eventually be released on Disney+, but a specific date has not been announced. Disney’s history suggests that the film may be available on Disney+ in March 2025, as the studio usually waits around 100 days to move its biggest films to streaming.
The option to watch Mufasa: The Lion King at home will come sooner, with the film set to release on PVOD (Premium Video on Demand) after around 60 days. This would mean that the digital release could come in February 2025. It’s rare for Disney to go beyond or short of the 60-day range, so the digital release should not be significantly impacted by the film’s box office performance.