Prepare your roars, because The Lion King prequel is officially in the works.

Rumors about a possible prequel have been swirling since the worldwide success of the realistic 2019 version of The Lion King. In September 2020, it was confirmed when Deadline announced that Barry Jenkins would be directing the film. Then, nearly a year later, in August 2021, the publication broke the news that actors Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Aaron Pierre would star as Taka (otherwise known as Scar) and Mufasa, respectively.

“Helping my sister raise two young boys during the ’90s, I grew up with these characters,” Barry shared in a statement after being announced as the film’s director. “Having the opportunity to work with Disney on expanding this magnificent tale of friendship, love and legacy while furthering my work chronicling the lives and souls of folk within the African diaspora is a dream come true.”

Fans know that the original animated version of The Lion King, which premiered in 1994, and its subsequent 2019 remake followed the story of a young Simba who flees Pride Rock after his father, Mufasa, was killed and his evil uncle, Scar, convinces him that everyone will think it’s his fault. Amid Simba’s absence, he grows up into someone who just can’t wait to be king while Scar is vying to be in charge of the lion pride.

The prequel is set to tell the origin story of Mufasa and Scar, breaking down exactly why there was bad blood between them before the events in The Lion King.

Just like the 2019 version of The Lion King, the actors’ voices will be recognizable as the characters they’re portraying will be created via photorealistic animation and motion capture. Just like the initial remake, the upcoming prequel may also receive a live-action title from Disney. Following its premiere in July 2019, The Lion King remake quickly became the biggest in Disney history.

As of now, it’s unclear exactly when The Lion King prequel’s projected release date is, but that being said, Deadline reported that production is already underway. As for how to watch the movie itself, the flick will most likely hit theaters or be available to stream via Disney+, just like the rest of Disney’s most recent releases. When it comes to the cast, only a few casting announcements have been shared thus far, but there’s more to come.

Scroll through our gallery to meet The Lion King prequel stars. 

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