Disney just dropped a wild trailer for Mufasa: The Lion King, the highly-anticipated prequel that’s about to give The Lion King fans all the feels… and maybe a little backstory on why Mufasa’s mane always looked like he had a permanent blowout.
On Friday (November 8), Barry Jenkins—the Oscar-winning director and now, apparently, Pride Rock historian—unleashed the new trailer at D23 Brazil. You could say it was the mane event of the evening.
Now, let’s talk plot! The story starts with our old pal Rafiki doing what he does best: dropping pearls of wisdom while waving around that mysterious stick of his. This time, he’s telling the legend of Mufasa to none other than Kiara, Simba and Nala’s young cub. (That’s right, Simba’s got a kid who’s already learning the family drama.) But he’s not alone—Timon and Pumbaa are back, and they’re ready to sprinkle in some humor, probably because they’ve been through enough trauma in the first Lion King to last a lifetime.
And here’s where it gets juicy: baby Mufasa was actually an orphaned cub, roaming the savannah like a tiny, tufted rebel without a cause. He eventually stumbles across Taka, a lion with serious royal connections. Together, they form a motley crew of fur, teeth, and claws as they embark on a grand adventure. Spoiler alert: not everything’s hakuna matata in this friendship—these lions have to survive deadly threats, dodge danger, and figure out that whole “circle of life” thing along the way.
If your claws aren’t already tapping in excitement, remember this: Mufasa: The Lion King roars into theaters on December 20. Just in time to make you feel things about lions all over again.