Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King Failed to Impress at the Box Office
Disney’s highly-anticipated prequel, Mufasa: The Lion King, has had a disappointing opening weekend, falling short of box office projections. The film, which tells the story of Mufasa’s rise to the throne, opened with a domestic total of $35 million, significantly lower than the expected $60-65 million.
Despite fixing one of the original Lion King’s biggest flaws with more expressive animation, critics and audiences were divided on the film. The lack of nostalgia and emotional attachment to the original story may have contributed to the film’s poor performance.
Mufasa: The Lion King also struggled internationally, falling short of projections by over $50 million. The film’s soundtrack, featuring original songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda, may not have had the same impact as the iconic soundtrack of the original Lion King.
Although the film has had a rocky start, there is still hope for it to recover at the box office. With the holidays approaching, families will have more time to visit theaters, and Mufasa: The Lion King may benefit from the extra exposure. It’s likely that the film will still make its budget back and even turn a profit for Disney.
Mufasa: The Lion King opens on December 20, 2024, and runs for 118 minutes. It is a family adventure film, directed by Barry Jenkins, and features an original story by Jeff Nathanson, Linda Woolverton, Irene Mecchi, and Jonathan Roberts. The film follows Mufasa’s early days and his relationship with Scar, and features the return of Timon and Pumba, voiced by Billy Eichler and Seth Rogen.
