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Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King gave fans a closer look at Mufasa’s early years, his journey to Pride Rock, and his first meeting with Sarabi. Actress Tiffany Boone, who voiced Sarabi, brought new depth to the character and helped fans see a different side of her before she became queen. Now, after the film’s release, there’s growing interest in a sequel focused on Sarabi—one that could be called The Lion Queen.

Boone is thrilled by the idea of a movie that would explore Sarabi’s journey to becoming queen and show more of her life between Mufasa: The Lion King and the original The Lion King. When asked if she would be interested in returning for another film, she responded enthusiastically:

“Oh, I mean, of course, I would be up for that. Who would say no to that?”

She believes there’s plenty of stories...

Ellen Degeneres, formerly extremely popular as a comedian left the USA in 2024 for the UK, allegedly to avoid Donald Trump’s presidency. Currently, though, she’s enjoying an African safari with a top wildlife guide, the founder of Safarious, Passage to Africa, and Safari By Design. Michael Lorentz is recognized for his work with nature.

On An African Safari

Ellen shared a video on her Instagram account on March 15 and revealed a splendid encounter with lions. It’s just got to be an upgrade on the weather in the UK at the moment. In the comments of her post, some of The Ellen Show and Netflix fans argued over which country she visited. Was it Tanzania, Kenya, South Africa, or even Zimbabwe?

On Safari – Lions – @ellendegeneres – Instagram

Well, Michael Lorentz recently tagged Tanzania in a post, so maybe they are there. It’s not easy to distinguish African scenery during the wet season.

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Want to stream Mufasa: The Lion King from the comfort of your own coach without paying the lion’s share of another streaming subscription? We’ve got you covered. Here’s how to stream the Disney prequel for just $3 thanks to a limited-time Disney Plus streaming deal.

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French production and distribution giant Mediawan has taken a majority 51% stake in leading UK-Australian producer See-Saw Films whose credits include Apple TV+’s Slow Horses and Oscar winners The King’s Speech and The Power Of The Dog.

See-Saw founders Iain Canning and Emile Sherman will continue as joint CEOs, working alongside See-Saw’s joint managing directors Helen Gregory and Simon Gillis, and Liz Watts, the head of TV and film in Australia.

They oversee a team of eight executive producers and a staff of over 50 people across development, production, legal and business affairs, finance and marketing.

In a statement announcing the deal,...

Pictures via Netflix, Sony Pictures, Universal Television and DreamWorks Animation Television

If you’re considering signing up or switching to Netflix’s advertising tier in the US, you need to be aware that 155 titles are blocked, meaning they’re unavailable to watch. Below is the list of titles you won’t be able to stream on Netflix’s advertising tier as of February 2025.

Launched in November 2022, Netflix’s ad tier notably had a few drawbacks. The biggest was that many big titles, including Netflix Originals, were unavailable to watch and were and continue to be blocked out. When the ad tier first launched, 5.1% of titles were unavailable. A few months later, it was 5.4% of the library in February 2023. On February 7th, 2024, only 175 titles were unavailable on the Netflix US library, representing a 50% decrease year-on-year. As of December 2024, the percentage has reduced again with 151 titles, representing 2% (a fall from 2.1% in November...

We’re only a few days away from the 97th Academy Awards and one thing is for sure: Kieran Culkin will give the speech of the night. But if there was another guarantee, it would be that Conan O’Brien is going to kill it. As far as what he’s bringing to the Dolby Theatre this Sunday, only he and his team know.

Conan O’Brien recently appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! to chat with the host about the Oscar gig, at first joking, “I made a mistake! No, we’re gonna have a great show, we’re gonna have a great time.” He added, “We have some fun ideas, there’s some great surprises.” Now if that isn’t code for “Masturbating Bear is presenting Best Sound”, I don’t know what is!

Obviously Conan is going to be tight-lipped about what we can really expect, but right now...

Disney fans have something exciting to look forward to! The highly anticipated Mufasa: The Lion King will soon be available for home viewing, and it comes with plenty of special bonus content. In addition, an exclusive deleted scene has been released, giving viewers a glimpse into more of the story.

Take a look at this deleted scene from Mufasa: The Lion King featuring Mufasa and Rafiki. pic.twitter.com/gc6l9F7jZL

— IGN (@IGN) February 17, 2025

Mufasa: The Lion King will be available for digital purchase starting February 18. For those who love collecting physical copies, the movie will also be released on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on April 1.

Fans who opt for the 4K Uhd version will have the chance to own a limited edition SteelBook, which features unique artwork and exclusive packaging.

The home release of Mufasa: The Lion King comes packed with special content that the whole family can enjoy.

Mufasa: The Lion King Worldwide Box Office: 9th Weekend Update ( Photo Credit – YouTube )

The Disney feature Mufasa: the Lion King is one of the biggest films of 2024. The animated feature is still maintaining a stronghold at the box office and has accumulated an impressive amount of wealth against its huge production budget. It is undoubtedly a commercially successful movie but still quite far away from its predecessor’s extraordinary worldwide collection. Keep scrolling for more.

The animated feature received mixed reviews from critics, but the audience is undoubtedly enjoying it, especially the little kids. The film’s production suffered due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. For the uninitiated, this movie is dedicated to James Earl Jones, the voice actor of 1994’s Mufasa and the remake. His voice could be heard briefly during the opening title. Unfortunately, he passed away in September 2024, ahead of the film’s release in December.

According to Luiz Fernando’s report,...

Most readers recall the night of February 26, 2017, when Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty took to the stage at the 89th Academy Awards ceremony. That was the year "La La Land" was nominated for a whopping 14 Oscars, tying the nomination record of films like "Titanic" and "All About Eve." In the Best Picture category, it faced off against "Arrival," "Fences," "Hell or High Water," "Hacksaw Ridge," "Hidden Figures," "Lion," and "Manchester by the Sea." They were all defeated (most would argue rightly) by Barry Jenkins' subdued queer drama "Moonlight." 

Of course, when Best Picture was announced, a mixup was revealed. Beatty and Dunaway were handed a backup envelope for Best Actress by mistake. Emma Stone had just won Best Actress for "La La Land," but the "spare" envelope was still backstage. When Beatty opened it in front of an audience of billions, he looked a little confused. He showed the envelope to Dunaway,...

Stepping into My Fault: London, I wondered why they would make a remake of a globally popular movie so soon after its success. But the film makes subtle changes that definitely bring a newness to the story, more specifically for what’s coming next. There is one major difference between My Fault: London and Culpa Mia: Nick isn’t estranged from his mother. Here’s your spoiler warning for Culpa Tuya if you haven’t seen that one. In the Spanish films, Nick is estranged from his biological mother but close to his younger sister, who he believes is a half-sister. In My Fault: London, Nick and his mom are close, and she isn’t at all the glamorous mother we see in the Spanish films. She’s a recovering alcoholic, and though Nick doesn’t appreciate what she did, leaving him at the tender age of 12, I...

The Walt Disney Studios continued the effective marketing campaign for the new live-action family adventure Lilo & Stitch during the Super Bowl. You can now watch the Big Game spot and the previous two teasers online.

The marketing takes a page from how the original animated film was promoted. For that campaign, Stitch invaded other Disney properties such as The Little Mermaid (1989), Beauty and the Beast (1991), Aladdin (1992) and The Lion King (1994). This time he’s running loose at the Super Bowl, having some more fun with The Lion King and more.

A live-action reimagining of Disney’s 2002 animated classic, Lilo & Stitch is the wildly funny and touching story of a lonely Hawaiian girl and the fugitive alien who helps to mend her broken family.

Directed by Dean Fleischer Camp, the Oscar-nominated filmmaker behind the animated feature film Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, the film stars Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Billy Magnussen,...

In 1994, Disney's animated film The Lion King launched a huge franchise that audiences still can't get enough of, even today. After three decades of sequels, spin-offs, and remakes, fans young and old continue gravitating toward the original, compelling narrative about family, sacrifice, individual responsibility, and finding one's purpose through redemption. With the recent theatrical release of the live-action prequel, Mufasa: The Lion King, Disney's well-loved story expands — giving us a fresh look at familiar characters.

The film follows Mufasa and Scar's early life, providing fans with context regarding their eventual rivalry. This epic addition has also brought some viewers back through the franchise's catalog, revisiting past favorites and discovering new content (there's plenty to choose from). With several direct sequels to the classic that started it all, television specials, and the latest live-action movies, it's hard to know where to start. Here's a breakdown of each title in The Lion King franchise since its inception,...

Exclusive: International documentary sales, distribution, and production company Dogwoof has acquired worldwide sales rights to Deeper from BAFTA and Emmy-nominated filmmaker Jennifer Peedom (Solo).

The film is set to have its world premiere at this year’s SXSW Film Festival in March.

Deeper follows cave diver Richard “Harry” Harris, best known for his role in the death-defying rescue of a youth Thai soccer team that was trapped deep inside a cave for over two weeks. The film’s synopsis reads: Harris embarks on a perilous new cave diving expedition that will push the limits of adventure and force him to confront his deepest fears. There’s no question that this is the highest-stakes dive he has ever attempted. Underground, underwater, with a finite amount of gas to breathe, it’s a dangerous game to play. The nailbiting documentary charts what drives Harry to continue in his pursuit when he knows...

Disney has announced the Mufasa: The Lion King Digital, 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD release details. The film, which has grossed $653 million worldwide, will arrive at digital retailers on February 18 and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD on April 1.

You’ll be able to enjoy hours of exclusive bonus content for the whole family on the digital and Blu-ray releases featuring a full-length sing-along version of the film, deleted scenes, featurettes and much more. The 4K Uhd will be available in a collectible limited edition SteelBook with custom artwork and packaging.

Exploring the unlikely rise of the beloved king of the Pride Lands, Mufasa: The Lion King enlists Rafiki to relay the legend of Mufasa to young lion cub Kiara, daughter of Simba and Nala, with Timon and Pumbaa lending their signature schtick.

Told in flashbacks, the story introduces Mufasa as an orphaned cub, lost and alone until...

Spoiler Alert: This list includes spoilers for Mufasa: The Lion King.Mufasa: The Lion King is the new Disney prequel toThe Lion King that fans have been waiting for! The film combines an enticing story with stunning 3D animation, with the animation being the most realistic that Disney has done. But even with the great story and stunning visuals, fans seem to be most focused on the new soundtrack by Lin-Manuel Miranda.

The Lion King at the Hollywood Bowl celebrates the enduring legacy of “The Lion King” in a concert special coming to Disney+ on Friday, February 7, 2025. Today, Disney debuted the trailer and key art for the release.

This live-to-film concert experience includes epic performances with a 70-person orchestra, a troupe of skillful dancers, state-of-the-art projection mapping images, and the Broadway show’s award-winning costumes and puppetry giving viewers across the globe a front-row seat to the unprecedented musical extravaganza celebrating the world of The Lion King.

In honor of The Lion King‘s 30th Anniversary, the Hollywood Bowl transformed into the Pride Lands for an immersive concert event featuring a reunion of the original voice cast alongside performances by cast members of the iconic Broadway show.

Starring Lebo M, Jeremy Irons, Nathan Lane, Jason Weaver, Ernie Sabella, Billy Eichner, and stage musical alumni Heather Headley and Bradley Gibson, with special guests...

Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman, star of the new feature “Babygirl”, poses for the February 2025 issue of “Marie Claire” (Australia) magazine, photographed by Vickie King:

Kidman began her acting career in Australia with the 1983 films “Bush Christmas” and “BMX Bandits”.

Her breakthrough came in 1989 with the thriller film “Dead Calm” and the miniseries “Bangkok Hilton”.

In 1990, she achieved international success with the action film “Days of Thunder”. She received greater recognition with lead roles in “Far and Away” (1992), “Batman Forever” (1995), “To Die For” (1995) and “Eyes Wide Shut” (1999).

In 2003, she won the ‘Academy Award’ for ‘Best Actress’ for her portrayal of writer ‘Virginia Woolf’ in the drama film “The Hours” (2002).

Among her numerous feature films, Kidman received additional Academy Award nominations for her roles in the musical “Moulin Rouge!” (2001) and the dramas “Rabbit Hole” (2010), “Lion” (2016) and “Being the Ricardos” (2021).

Kidman's television roles include “Hemingway & Gellhorn” (2012), “Big Little Lies” (2017–2019), “Top of the Lake: China Girl...

Based on the number of biopics that are released yearly, as well as the countless horror movies that purport to take inspiration from true life, many cinephiles would be forgiven for growing sick of the phrase “based on a true story.” While it is well known that most films don’t have a particular eye for historical accuracy, there are some stories that are simply so powerful that they deserve to be told in the most epic way possible. In the case of the inspirational true story of Lion, director Garth Davis was able to examine a systemic issue within modern-day India through one man’s incredible journey. Lion is a powerful biopic that is just as intimate as it is epic and ended up earning very well-deserved Academy Award nominations for Nicole Kidman and Dev Patel.

2025 will feature the return of lots of beloved science fiction shows, but what if you're in the mood for something completely new? We're talking aliens, demons, gunfights, explosions, horror, and spinoffs of a lot of popular franchises.

Here are seven brand new shows that could stratch that sci-fi itch. Are you ready?

Dominique Thorne as Riri Williams in Marvel Studios' Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Photo by Eli Adé. © 2022 Marvel. | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Ironheart (Disney+)

Every year, Disney brings us a couple new Marvel series, and 2025 will be no exception. On June 24, they're release Ironheart, a show about an Iron Man superfan named Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) who builds her own mechanical flying suit.

Actually, we already got to know Riri in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, where she had a supporting role. She's have the spotlight in Ironheart, going on a new adventure alongside cast members like alongside cast members like Anthony Ramos,...

Blueberry pie-scented candles (Heretic). Emotion-themed Sugarfina candy boxes (Inside Out 2). Shiz University sweatshirts (Wicked).

That’s just a (literal) taste of some of the swag (aka promotional items) that have been sent out to voters this season by savvy awards campaigners. Lavishly bound screenplays, one-of-a-kind posters, T-shirts and the like are de rigueur for any self-respecting FYC team, and this season did not disappoint.

Disney-Pixar’s Inside Out 2 teamed up with luxury candy shop Sugarfina in an effort to remind voters to “consider every emotion” this Oscar season. All of your favorite characters from the box-office behemoth were represented in edible form, including Maya Hawke‘s Anxiety (peach bellini gummies), Phyllis Smith‘s Sadness (robin’s egg caramels), Ayo Edebiri‘s Envy (sour rainbows), Adèle Exarchopoulos‘ Ennui (birthday cake cookie bites), Amy Poehler‘s Joy (lemon shortbread cookie bites), Paul Walter Hauser‘s Embarrassment (rosé frosé wine gems...

The beginning of the year is usually a quieter time for movie releases, and January 2025 is no exception. Although there are some exciting new releases, a 2024 blockbuster has managed to climb back to the top of the box office this weekend. In an interesting turn of events, Mufasa: The Lion King is the number-one film at the box office this past weekend, in a MLK holiday weekend box office haul that is one of the lowest in years.

According to a box office report from Deadline, the CGI Disney prequel directed by Barry Jenkins beat out new releases in a weekend that was the second lowest of the last ten years, not counting 2021, which was during the Covid-19 pandemic. Mufasa took in $16.5 million over the past four days, while the Keke Palmer and Sza-led comedy One of Them Days took the number 2 spot with around $14-15 million, barely losing out to the Disney film.

Warning: this article contains spoilers for Mufasa: The Lion KingMufasa: The Lion King was one of the final few movies of 2024, and it is still going strong even as the 2025 movie slate begins to spin its wheels up. The film tells the origin story of Scar and Mufasa before they became the royal family of the Pride Lands. It also explores how and why Mufasa became the leader that he was in the original movie. Mufasa's reviews are mixed, much like the 2019 Lion King remake, but the film does contain a lot of cool ideas and moments that make the character of Mufasa more interesting.

While Mufasa's eventual fate is very well-known and already tragic, getting a deeper look into the character makes his death in the original movie even more so. Mufasa's death in The Lion King is sad mostly because of how it affects Simba, as opposed...

Ahead of the Oscar nominations being announced Jan. 23, where “Waves” is hoping for recognition after being shortlisted for Best International Film, it led the pack this past week at the Czech Lion Awards — Czech Republic’s equivalent of the Academy Awards — with 14 nominations.

“Waves” was mentioned in numerous categories, including best director and screenplay for Jiří Mádl. Actors Vojtěch Vodochodský, Tatiana Pauhofová, Martin Hofmann and Stanislav Majer were nominated in their respective categories.

The film was also nominated in below-the-line crafts, including for cinematography, editing, sound design, music, stage design, costume design and makeup and hairstyling.

The success of “Waves” at the Czech Lion Awards and its shortlist mention for Best International Film at the upcoming Academy Awards comes after much success back home. After its debut at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, where it won the top audience award, the film was released in Czech theaters in August,...

Since the original Disney movie was released in 1994, The Lion King has become a much bigger franchise, with two modern CGI adaptations. It is a well-known fact that The Lion King is based on the story of Hamlet - the young son of a king goes on a journey of self-discovery after his father is murdered by his power-hungry uncle. Naturally, there are plenty of similarities between Hamlet and The Lion King, some of which can also be found in the sequels and even Mufasa: The Lion King.

The Lion King to the Oscars, with both the 1994 original and the 2019 remake nominated for Academy Awards. Despite the success and cultural impact of the 1994 film, there are a few harsh realities when rewatching The Lion King. Although The Lion King was obviously never meant to be a faithful adaptation of the William Shakespeare play Hamlet, as the movie was merely inspired by the famous tragedy,...

After Mufasa: The Lion King, Disney should bring The Lion King franchise back to its roots. The franchise began with the release of The Lion King in 1994, which proved to be an immense critical and commercial success that has stood the test of time. The franchise released two more animated movies, with The Lion King II: Simba's Pride in 1998 and The Lion King 1½ in 2004, both of which were direct-to-video. In 2019, the franchise returned to theaters with the "live-action" Lion King remake, followed by the story of Mufasa: The Lion King in 2024.

Mufasa acts as both a sequel and prequel to the 2019 Lion King, as Rafiki tells Simba and Nala's daughter, Kiara, about the origins of her grandfather and uncle, Scar. After Mufasa's mixed reviews and an opening weekend that performed below expectations, Mufasa's box office has bounced back, and done well for Disney, having grossed $543 million worldwide (via...

Mufasa: The Lion King Worldwide Box Office: Set To Become The #8 Biggest Film Of 2024( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Mufasa: The Lion King is now performing better than Sonic the Hedgehog 3 at the box office. The animated feature is adamant about beating Kung Fu Panda 4, as it is also on track to beat the movie at the worldwide box office, in addition to targeting it at the US box office. Scroll below for the deets.

The weekend actuals for Mufasa came in higher, and it is nearing the $550 million mark worldwide. It was made on an estimated budget of $200 million and has crossed the break-even point. Kung Fu Panda 4 is the 8th highest-grossing film of 2024, but that will change soon. Mufasa surpassed Venom: The Last Dance’s $478.10 million worldwide collection.

Mufasa: The Lion King’s US gross this weekend is on par with Jumanji: The Next Level’s same weekend post-holiday number.

Mufasa: The Lion King tells an original story set in The Lion King universe, with the prequel confirming one potential issue that a live-action remake of The Lion King 1 1/2 would have to face. Despite there being outcry for a remake of The Lion King II: Simba's Pride after the success of the 2019 remake of The Lion King, Disney decided to go in a different direction, instead telling a different story about the origin of Mufasa. However, Mufasa: The Lion King highlighted how a remake of The Lion King 1 1/2 could work, although not perfectly.

The Lion King 1 1/2 is a 2004 direct-to-video midquel set during the events of 1994's The Lion King. The film explores what Timon and Pumbaa got up to before the events of the original animated movie, with the film highlighting the duo's history and fleshing out their storylines. The Lion King 1 1/2 is far more focused on comedy than the original The Lion King,...

Warning: Contains Spoilers for Mufasa: The Lion King!

Mufasa: The Lion King finally answers the question of how Taka got his scar, and while this isn't the first time a Disney movie has tackled a similar origin story, this film did it the best by far. Ever since The Lion King was released, the mystery of how Scar got his scar has been raging, with their being no official answer. Luckily, Mufasa: The Lion King finally reveals the story behind this, with this explanation being much better handled than a similar story from Captain Marvel.

Much like Mufasa: The Lion King, Captain Marvel was tasked with explaining how a character got a scar on their eye. However, instead of being a villainous lion, it was Nick Fury. Nick Fury had become famous for wearing his eyepatch ever since he made his debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but after a decade of movies,...

Elden Ring has become a global phenomenon, capturing players’ attention with its vast landscapes, intricate lore, and brutal bosses. Now, Elden Ring Nightreign, the standalone spin-off, is taking the series in a new direction by introducing multiplayer while retaining the core elements of the franchise.

Nightreign is taking the intense experience to the multiplayer genre. | Image Credit: FromSoftware

As fans wait for this next chapter, one question looms large: will it feature some of the most frustrating and challenging bosses from the original game and its Dlc? If there’s one boss that stands out for its infuriating difficulty, it’s the Divine Beast Dancing Lion, a boss that has driven many players to the brink of rage.

Elden Ring Nightreign should include the Divine Beast Dancing Lion

Located in the Belurat Tower Settlement Legacy Dungeon, the Dancing Lion is the main boss of this already difficult area. While it’s an optional boss,...

Sounds like we have the nominees for the 2025 Cinema Audio Society Awards, which celebrate excellence in sound mixing for film and television. See the list below.

Vying for the marquee Motion Pictures: Live Action statuette are the sound-mixing teams behind four the 10 top-grossing non-toon films of 2024 — Deadpool & Wolverine, Dune: Part Two, Gladiator II and Wicked — along with the young Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown.

The pics up for the Motion Pictures: Animated prize are the smash sequels Inside Out 2 and Moana 2, Mufasa: The Lion King, The Wild Robot and Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl.

The Motion Pictures – Documentary nominees are three music-focused films — Elton John: Never Too Late, I Am: Celine Dion and Music by John Williams — Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story and The Blue Angels.

Related: Motion Picture Sound Editors Reveal 2025 Mpse Golden Reel Awards Nominations

The 61st Cas Awards will be...

Warning: Contains Spoilers for Mufasa: The Lion King!

Mufasa: The Lion King gives the titular king an all-new special power, but this ability completely complicates the circumstances of Mufasa's The Lion King death. One of the most well-known things about Mufasa is that he dies in The Lion King, with the character's death being considered one of the saddest moments in animation history. However, the story of Mufasa: The Lion King completely recontextualizes the circumstances of Mufasa's death, raising a lot of questions about the logic of how Scar's killing of Mufasa actually managed to work.

Mufasa: The Lion King finally tells the story of Mufasa's origins, with the film following him on his journey to become the king of the Pride Lands. The film reveals that, as a cub, Mufasa was taken in by the family of Scar, who was then known as Taka. Mufasa: The Lion King...

Tiffany Boone was done with voiceover auditions when the script for an unspecified lioness landed in her inbox.

“I just thought I was so bad at voiceovers,” Boone confesses. “I’d been trying for years and never booked a single thing. I quit probably a year or two before I got this audition — obviously, my agents didn’t listen and sent me this anyway.”

She owes her agents a thank-you note. Boone, 37, not only landed a part in the Disney prequel Mufasa: The Lion King, but was cast as central figure Sarabi, the queen of Pride Rock, otherwise known as Mufasa’s mate (and Simba’s future mom).

It was, to hear Boone tell it, kismet, seeing as how The Lion King was her favorite film growing up. “I’m not lying,” she says. “Lion King was number one. Number two was Aladdin. And number three was Beauty and the Beast.

“Mufasa: The Lion King” is an animation movie directed by Barry Jenkins and written by Jeff Nathanson.

Disney’s latest animated offering, “Mufasa: The Lion King”, serves up a stunning visual banquet that almost overshadows its lukewarm narrative. This prequel to “The Lion King” marks a significant milestone in animation technology, showcasing photo-realistic CGI that pushes the boundaries of what’s possible in animated storytelling.

From the opening frames, it’s clear that “Mufasa: The Lion King” is a technical marvel. The attention to detail in every fur, feather, and blade of grass is nothing short of astonishing. The animators have created a world so lifelike that viewers might forget they’re watching an animated film. This photo-realistic approach brings a new dimension to the familiar African savanna, making it feel more immersive and tangible than ever before.

However, while the visuals roar with impressive force, the story purrs along more quietly.

It's looking as if Greta Gerwig's The Chronicles of Narnia movie is all set up to avoid a problem that doomed the Disney Narnia series. C.S. Lewis' beloved fantasy book series has been adapted to the screen several times, but never in its entirety. Typically, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is what comes to general audiences' minds when they consider the Narnia franchise, and that's because it's often the first to be adapted. However, Disney proved this is not the best way to go since the Pevensies' first adventure in Narnia is challenging to follow up.

Disney released The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in 2005, and the film was a fair success. It brought in $745 million at the global box office, so it was no surprise that Disney jumped into further sequels. Unfortunately, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader...

Mufasa: The Lion King Box Office (North America): 2nd Wednesday Update( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Mufasa: The Lion King enters the New Year with a bang after grossing solid numbers on New Year’s Day and has been at the top of the US box office chart for the past few days. It has finally beaten Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and surpassed its predecessor’s second Wednesday collection. Scroll below for the deets.

Recently, India emerged as the sixth highest-grossing market for the Disney flick. It opened at $4.7 million and has now reached a $12.28 million gross at the Indian box office. India has surpassed China, as in China, the film has reached a $11.7 million cume. The other top five places include France with its $21.03 million cume, followed by the UK’s $15.8 million, Mexico’s $15.5 million, Italy’s $14.1 million, and Germany’s $13.5 million.

According to Luiz Fernando’s report, Mufasa: The Lion King...

Quick Links How Astro Boy Predicted the Jurassic Park Series Was Jurassic Park Based On "Dinosaur Dilemma?" How Jurassic Park Built Upon a Legacy of Dinosaur Stories

Jurassic Park is one of the most influential stories in modern mythology, but a bizarre theory connects it to an iconic 61-year-old sci-fi series. Inspiration often comes from unexpected places. Without Akira Kurosawa's films, Star Wars might have been a very different story. Similarly, The Lion King is said to have been inspired by Kimba the White Lion and It! The Terror From Beyond Space reportedly inspired Alien. These examples raise questions about the fine line between homage, inspiration, and convergent evolution in pop culture. In the case of Jurassic Park, while it emerged as a defining blockbuster of the '90s, its origins may be traced back decades earlier to the legendary anime Astro Boy.

Debuting in 1952, Astro Boy (or Mighty Atom...

The following contains spoilers for Mufasa: The Lion King, now playing in theatersMufasa: The Lion King sets the stage for a potential adaptation of The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, but the ending of the new film means any remake of that sequel would be very different. Mufasa: The Lion King establishes the future of the Pridelands after the events of The Lion King. While most of the film is centered on Simba's father in his youth, the ending of Mufasa: The Lion King reintroduces audiences the state of the Pridelands in the years following 2019's remake of The Lion King. This includes a formal introduction to Simba and Nala's daughter, Kiara.

That focus on Kiara could be seen as a tease for The Lion King's future on the big-screen, as she was the central character in The Lion King II: Simba's Pride. This makes it one...

Mufasa: The Lion King Box Office (Worldwide): Beats The Wild Robot ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Mufasa: The Lion King is performing steadily at the box office. It recently crossed the $100 million mark at the US box office and $300 million worldwide. In the process, the Disney animation has now surpassed The Wild Robot’s global haul and is closer to entering the top 15 highest-grossing films of 2024. Scroll below for the deets.

The Wild Robot was not only critically acclaimed but also a financial success. It came out in September this year along with Transformers One but outperformed it at the box office. Dreamworks Animation featured an ensemble voice cast that included Lupita Nyong’o, Pedro Pascal, Kit Connor, Bill Nighy, Stephanie Hsu, Mark Hamill, Catherine O’Hara, Matt Berry, and Ving Rhames.

The movie premiered at the 49th Toronto International Film Festival and was made on an estimated budget of $78 million. It...

New Years Day might involve a ton of streaming and binging for folks recovering from New Years Eve 2025!

Well, Netflix is delivering with some of their additions to their streaming catalogue on January 1, 2025!

The streamer is adding 36 movies on the first of the month, including titles like Interstellar, Love Actually, I Know What You Did Last Summer, 13 Going on 30, Notting Hill, The Net, and more fan fave titles.

We’ve collected the list of every movie and TV show being added by Netflix for the entire month of January, including the first.

Keep reading to find out more…

Scroll down to see every title being added to Netflix on January 1 and beyond.

Jan. 1

Don’t Die: The Man Who Wants to Live Forever

The Love Scam

Missing You

Number 24

13 Going on 30

3 Ninjas: Kick Back

Apollo 13

Blended

Bruce Almighty

Colombiana

Dallas Buyers Club

Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat

Dr.

Warning: this article contains spoilers for Mufasa: The Lion KingMufasa: The Lion King is the newest live-action Disney film, serving as a prequel to 2019's The Lion King live-action remake. The film differs from the previous entry in the series in that it doesn't take anything from existing animated Disney stories, and tells a wholly original story about the origins of Scar and Mufasa, and how they ascend to the positions we see during The Lion King. One interesting note about this new backstory for Mufasa is that it shows a completely opposite character arc to Simba's from the original story.

While the characters in Mufasa: The Lion King are largely familiar, the story that is being told around them is entirely new, a departure from the nearly shot-for-shot remake that preceded it, though Mufasa's reviews are mixed, very similar to The Lion King's. While the film is by no means perfect,...

2024 was another strong year for movies, including stories that revolved around animals. While talking animals are often expected in the best animated movies, and they definitely played prominent roles in many of 2024's animated offerings, they were also prominent in many live-action stories. Animals have a unique way of being the heart of a story as they provide delightful humor, tense drama, and even wisdom that ties into a movie's overarching themes.

From adorable pets to talking animals that help build prosperous civilizations, the animals in 2024's best movies cover a wide range of roles. The best animals in 2024 movies are those who have distinct and memorable personalities, have a significant impact on the story, and, if applicable, manage to be even more compelling at times than the human characters. With many of these characters appearing in 2024 movie sequels or prequels, some of them have the potential to continue appearing in future projects as well.

Warning! Spoilers for Mufasa: The Lion King ahead!

Mufasa: The Lion King has done the work to set up a The Lion King II: Simba's Pride remake, completely changing how audiences will see the "Outsider" villains. Disney's 2019 photorealistic CGI remake of The Lion King was a smash hit, so it was no surprise that another movie was added to the franchise. However, rather than remake the 1998 animated sequel to Simba's initial story, the House of Mouse dived into a Mufasa prequel instead. Still, Mufasa: The Lion King didn't forget about Simba's Pride entirely. Not only did it introduce Kiara, but it may have provided a stronger foundation for the sequel's villains.

One of the big surprises of Mufasa: The Lion King is that Mufsa wasn't born royal. He earned his place as king after a group of white lions known as the Outsiders began eliminating the various prides across the Valley of Kings.

Scar's lies throughout The Lion King are what allow him to pull off his villainous coup, and the release of Mufasa: The Lion King just confirmed another major Scar lie from the 2019 remake. Throughout The Lion King, Scar is portrayed as a manipulative murderer who kills Mufasa and chases Simba away in order to begin his authoritarian rule over the Pride Lands. However, Mufasa: The Lion King paints a much more sympathetic version of Scar, then known as Taka, revealing more about his plans in The Lion King.

Mufasa: The Lion King tells the origin story of Mufasa, Scar, Sarabi, and many other iconic The Lion King characters, with the film starting with Mufasa as a young cub. After the death of Mufasa's parents, a friendly cub named Taka adopts Mufasa into his family, with the two becoming brothers who share a seemingly unbreakable bond. However, the rest of...

It is common knowledge by now that Disney is the king of live-action remakes, yet their newest movie, Mufasa: The Lion King, proves that one important element makes some live-action movies better than others. Released in December 2024, Mufasa: The Lion King is a live-action prequel that follows The Lion King's Mufasa in his youth, alongside his adopted brother, Scar, now known as Taka. In just a week, the movie has already grossed $221 million at the box office, and has received an optimistic 88% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, making it generally successful.

Disney has been producing live-action remakes of their most successful movies since the 2010s to varying degrees of success. 2019's The Lion King is Disney's highest-grossing live-action remake film with an impressive $1.7 billion to its name. In 2017, Beauty and the Beast also broke the billion dollar barrier, raking in $1.3 billion. However, other live-action Disney remakes haven't done as well.

Warning: This post contains spoilers for Mufasa: The Lion King.Mufasa: The Lion King's villain stands out as a reminder of a long-standing controversy regarding the classic 1994 movie. Though the Disney prequel was largely considered an unnecessary addition to the franchise, Mufasa: The Lion King's reviews highlight its enhanced animation, affecting soundtrack, and, most importantly, a clever story that changes The Lion King canon in the best way. Like Simba's Pride, Mufasa's origin story builds Kiara's family tree and expands on their generational history, this time, focusing on the troubling relationship between Mufasa (Aaron Pierre) and Taka (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) — later, Scar.

However, the movie's main villain is not Scar but a merciless outsider who seeks to kill all lion kings to gain sole power over all creatures. Notably, in Mufasa: The Lion King's ending, Simba's father fights Kiros (Mads Mikkelsen) and earns the...

The following contains spoilers for Mufasa: The Lion KingMufasa: The Lion King's answer to The Lion King's Oscar-winning song "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" could earn it an Oscar thirty years after The Lion King won an Academy Award in the same category. The Disney prequel builds off the legacy of The Lion King in a number of ways, ranging from deliberate shout-outs to clever subversions. One connection between the films is a big musical number that pushes their respective romantic subplots. "Tell Me It's You" is between Mufasa and Sarabi and follows the pair as they finally acknowledge their growing feelings for one another.

It's one of Mufasa: The Lion King's big triumphant moments, and is one of the better tracks in the musical. The success of the song also means that it's been short-listed by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for an Academy Award for Best Original Song.

Warning: There are mild spoilers ahead for Mufasa: The Lion King.

Mufasa: The Lion King’s connection to one great Disney princess fits its themes and makes the movie even better. Directed by award-winning Barry Jenkins, the Lion King prequel explains Mufasa’s origin story before he became king of the Pride Lands and Simba’s father. Presenting him as a non-royal cub who gets separated from his parents during a flood, the film rewrites the events from the 1994 version, having Mufasa be saved by Taka (or Scar) and adopted by her mother, Eshe.

Mufasa: The Lion King’s reviews praise its emotive visuals and talented cast, mainly actors Aaron Pierre and Kelvin Harrison Jr., who work to offer the tragic brotherly story between Mufasa and Scar. The rest of the actors and actresses are also great, marking the return of new and familiar voices that complete the prequel...

Quick Links Villeneuve’s Dune Films Are a Remarkable Achievement Dune Messiah’s Story Isn’t a Worthy Follow-Up If Villenueve’s Dune Messiah Is To Succeed, It Will Need To Change Drastically

Before Denis Villeneuve's Dune films, there were plenty of adaptations of the iconic 1965 novel. Some considered the films to be unadaptable and the David Lynch film certainly backed that belief up for a long time. However, Villeneuve and the studio smartly told the story of the first novel across two films, and together, it created two of the best sci-fi films in recent years. After the success of Dune: Part Two critically and financially, it didn't take long for Warner Bros. to greenlight another Dune film by Villeneuve.

There are plenty of stories to tell in the world of Dune, and the next story up is Messiah. HBO also has a series titled Dune: Prophecy that...

The following contains spoilers for Mufasa: The Lion King, now playing in theatersMufasa: The Lion King flips one of the key dynamics from The Lion King, which helps distinguish the movie from the previous entries in the series while adding new depth to the emotional throughline of the series. Mufasa: The Lion King is a prequel to 2019's The Lion King, exploring the story of how Mufasa went from a lowly cub to the King of the Pride Lands. One of the key relationships of this story is Mufasa's adoption into the pride of Taka, a sweet natured but cowardly prince who will one day grow into the namipulative and nefarious Scar.

However, this isn't the only major character dynamic in the film. The latest Disney prequel also dives into the unlikely friendship between Mufasa and Rafiki, as well as the former's blossoming romance with Sarabi. Some of The Lion...

Baby John Vs Pushpa 2 Vs Mufasa Box Office Morning & Afternoon Occupancy! ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

The holiday season is witnessing an intense battle at the Indian box office. Pushpa 2 had been dominating the Christmas releases for the longest time. But not anymore, because Mufasa: The Lion King has turned the tables on its first Saturday. Scroll below for the morning and afternoon occupancy.

Pushpa 2 (Hindi) Day 24 Occupancy

Allu Arjun starrer is enjoying the weekend boost. It is now in its fourth week, but the momentum is rock-steady. On day 24, Pushpa 2 has registered morning occupancy of 10.24%. The admissions have improved during the afternoon, as occupancy surged to 26.24%.

Baby John Day 4 Occupancy

There’s no relief for Varun Dhawan starrer as it continues to lose the race against Mufasa: The Lion King and Pushpa 2. Even on day 4, it was the last choice of the audience, with a morning occupancy of 7.14%, which...