The Lion King is roaring back to life in a way we’ve never seen before. Disney’s live-action film Mufasa: The Lion King is not just a prequel — it’s a cinematic journey into the untold stories that shaped two of the most iconic characters in animated history.

Starring Aaron Pierre as the young, courageous Mufasa and Kelvin Harrison Jr. as his ambitious, yet conflicted brother Taka, who later becomes Scar, the film explores how Mufasa rose from humble beginnings to claim his throne. It also dives deep into Scar’s transformation into the cunning villain who taught us the meaning of betrayal. Think of it as the origin story you didn’t know you needed and won’t be able to forget.

REVOLT had the privilege of sitting down with the film’s visionary director, Barry Jenkins, and its talented cast and crew for an exclusive conversation. From bringing depth to these beloved characters to creating the movie’s stunning soundtrack, we have the inside scoop on how the film is redefining the legacy of The Lion King. Packed with heart, drama and jaw-dropping revelations, Mufasa is poised to make us fall in love with the Pride Lands all over again and give us a new appreciation for the complex dynamics between brothers. Get into the thrilling interview below.

What did you discover about the idea of brotherhood in portraying the tension and complexity between Mufasa and Scar — particularly in the way love, jealousy and ambition can coexist within familial ties?

Aaron Pierre: For me, something that is really beautiful about this prequel is that it continues to explore themes that were very present in the first [film]. I think it explores community, heritage and the nuances and complexities of personal relationships and how to navigate that in a healthy way. We get to take a deeper dive into that, especially with Taka and Mufasa's relationship. I think for the young people who see this — but also for the grown folks who go and see this, because this film is for us, too — I hope it inspires us to really treasure those personal relationships that we've been blessed with and do everything we can to navigate them in a healthy way, even when challenges present themselves.

We also get to see Sarabi before motherhood. How does her role as a partner and future mother to Simba evolve, and how does her relationship with Mufasa shape her own identity?

Tiffany Boone: I always looked at Sarabi as this perfect queen, mother and partner. I think in this film, we get the opportunity to see how she gets there, because those women that you think of, like Michelle Obama, who today we're like, “Oh, she's perfection” — if you read her story, she [overcame] a lot of adversity to get there. Sarabi's journey, to the point we see her in the 1994 original, is shaped by the adversities she’s faced. She’s become somewhat guarded, navigating the balance between showing vulnerability and maintaining independence while also learning when to lean on her community. I think those challenges and [lessons] are how we get to see her become the great mother and wife we see her as later.

How did you approach balancing the epic scope of The Lion King legacy with a more intimate, character-driven story for this film, Mufasa? What aspects of Mufasa’s past did you feel needed to be explored to elevate his character?

Barry Jenkins: For one, the script came from Jeff Nathanson, who wrote the 2019 film as well, also Catch Me If You Can — a lot of really great films. He really delved deep, working to unravel and truly understand how the character portrayed by James Earl Jones evolved into the consummate father — the ultimate leader, a wise and noble king — and did so in a way that felt unexpected. It got me thinking about my own life and the many characters I’ve encountered.

Often, where a person starts is vastly different from where life eventually takes them, [as their journey is] shaped by their community, environment and how they respond to challenges along the way. It was incredible to explore the journeys of Mufasa and Scar — two characters frozen in time for 30 years — who, despite being raised in the same family, experienced vastly different parenting. This dynamic really highlights the influence of nature versus nurture and how those factors shape the people we become, whether compassionate leaders or something else entirely.

How do you think the original songs in Mufasa can offer new emotional depth or contrast to the themes of family, legacy and loss, especially as we explore Mufasa’s origin?

Lin-Manuel Miranda: I think that a lot of the clues were in [Nathanson's] great script. This is the first time a lot of the song titles actually began as lines of dialogue. One of the lines said in the film, “I always wanted a brother,” [so] I was like, “That's great. I’m taking that.” Another line -- “Tell me it’s you” — I took that one, too. The songs really jumped off the page in a way that's pretty rare. Usually, music is an afterthought when people are writing a screenplay, [but] they [put] such care into where they thought the songs might go. I think what's amazing about Mufasa's journey is that it's so unexpected. It was a joy to discover that with [Jenkins] because he had never worked on musicals before, but he is so musical that he had such sharp notes that made every song stronger. I'm really proud of the work.

How do you see storytelling evolving in the context of legendary characters like Mufasa and Scar. Do these stories feel like timeless archetypes, or do they still speak to modern issues of identity and legacy?

Jenkins: I think they definitely still speak to modern issues. I also love that you used the word archetypes; they're almost kind of larger than life. Our job was to get to the root of those things — scene by scene, beat by beat, song by song — and really give you this very in-person, present-moment experience of how these characters evolved.

Someone was asking me, “When you're making a prequel, is it a hindrance or is it a blessing that people know where things end up?” I was like, “Well, if you're thinking of it in terms of plot or text — trying to do the math to end up to where Mufasa and Scar are hanging off that cliff — then, yeah, it's a burden.” However, if you're thinking about this wonderful opportunity to show how these characters evolve moment to moment, scene to scene, event to event, to sort of keep changing, then it's riveting, because at any point, they could have made a different choice and become a different person. For me, that was energizing.

Harrison, how did your real-life, off-screen friendship with Pierre infuse authenticity into the journey of Mufasa and Taka, and did this shared experience challenge how you view your own friendships and rivalries?

Kelvin Harrison Jr: I feel like it was naturally just popping up, because we didn't know each other. When we started the movie, we were like looking at it on Zoom and I was like, “That's that guy from that TV show that I like, and he's so talented.” He was looking at me like, “I think I know who this guy is” (laughs). I think we both are willing to come in there and play. We really love this job, and we really love acting, and we really trust [Jenkins]. Once the safety is set [in] the scene, that's when people get the chance to really connect and know each other.