Lin-Manuel Miranda is embracing the opportunity to portray Simba in the upcoming live-action remake of The Lion King.
Acclaimed Broadway musical creator Lin-Manuel Miranda will contribute new songs to “Mufasa: The Lion King,” directed by Barry Jenkins. Miranda will also produce the soundtrack with Mark Mancina, who previously collaborated on the 1994 animated film and “The Lion King” Broadway musical.
Lebo M, the South African composer renowned for “Circle of Life,” will contribute music and performances. He also composed and produced the albums “Rhythm of the Pride Lands” and “Return to Pride Rock,” inspired by Disney’s “The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride.”
“Elton John, Tim Rice, Hans Zimmer, Lebo M, Mark Mancina, Beyoncé, Labrinth, Ilya Salmanzadeh, Beau Black, and Ford Riley, along with the remarkable music team from ‘The Lion Guard’ and countless other musical contributors over the years,” Miranda remarked. “The musical legacy of ‘The Lion King’ includes works by some of the world’s most acclaimed songwriters, and I’m honored and proud to continue this legacy. Collaborating with Barry Jenkins to tell Mufasa’s story has been a fulfilling experience, and we eagerly anticipate sharing this film with audiences in theaters.”
Miranda penned the original chart-topping songs for Disney’s animated films “Moana” and “Encanto,” recently collaborating with Alan Menken on the soundtrack for Disney’s live-action remake of “The Little Mermaid.”
The 1994 animated classic, “The Lion King,” boasts an Oscar and Grammy Award-winning soundtrack featuring Zimmer’s score and Elton John and Tim Rice’s songs. A sequel album, “Rhythm of the Pride Lands,” by Lebo M, expanded the musical landscape in 1994.
In 2019, Jon Favreau’s photorealistic remake inspired a new album by Zimmer. Additionally, “The Lion King: The Gift,” a companion album curated and featuring Beyoncé (Nala’s voice actress), was released, further enriching the musical legacy of the beloved film.
In flashbacks, “Mufasa: The Lion King” recounts the orphaned cub Mufasa’s (Aaron Pierre) quest for destiny. Meeting Taka (Kelvin Harrison Jr.), the heir to a royal lineage, Mufasa sets off with a group of misfits. Their journey is fraught with challenges as they face the formidable Kiros (Mads Mikkelsen). Meanwhile, Rafiki (John Kani and Kagiso Lediga) narrates Mufasa’s story to Kiara (Blue Ivy Carter), Simba (Donald Glover), and Nala (Beyoncé), accompanied by the antics of Timon (Billy Eichner) and Pumbaa (Seth Rogen).
Coming to theaters December 20, here are the details we have on the upcoming film, Mufasa: The Lion King.