Mufasa: The Lion Kingcontinues the beloved Disney franchise with frequent Easter eggs and references to previousThe Lion Kinginstallments. This franchise got its start with 1994’sThe Lion King, but this was far from the end of the tales of Pride Rock. Along with various animated sequels, the House of Mouse has dived into the world of CGI photorealism, with 2019’sThe Lion Kingduplicating Simba’s original story in a whole new medium. Now,Mufasa: The Lion Kinghas kept this trend going with a sequel and prequel all in one.
Mufasa: The Lion Kingintroduces the CGIversion of Simba and Nala’s daughter, Kiara, who settles in for Rafiki’s story about how her grandfather Mufasa came to be king of the Pride Lands. As the story jumps between the past and present, it becomes clear that Disney has altered its canon story. Things have gone a different direction thanThe Lion King’s past sequel and prequel stories, includingThe Lion King II: Simba’s Prideor Disney’s prequel books from the 1990s. Still,Mufasa: The Lion Kingcontains several references to these works within the beloved franchise.
14Tribute To James Earl Jones
Actor James Early Jones memorably lent his voice to Mufasa in the 1994The Lion Kingmovie and the 2019 CGI remake.As a prequel film,Mufasa: The Lion Kingneeded to recast the character, giving Mufasa the younger voice of Aaron Pierre instead.However,the 2024 movie opened with Jones' voice as Mufasa, delivering some words of comfort to his son before the story officially began.
Mufasa: The Lion King’s James Earl Jones Tribute & Full Quote Explained
Mufasa: The Lion King begins with a tribute to former Mufasa voice actor James Earl Jones, using a quote from the actor to honor his legacy.
Jones' voiceover was followed by text paying tribute to the actor, who passed away on August 22, 2025. It was a touching way to remind audiences of the man who first made Mufasa so memorable, ensuring that the continuation of this character’s story still honored Jones.
13The Opening Scene Across The Pride Lands
Perhaps the most iconic scene of 1994’sThe Lion Kingis the opening sequence, which shows the animals of the Pride Lands greeting the sun before heading to Pride Rock to welcome baby Simba. The 2019 remake duplicated this to spectacular effect, and now,Mufasa: The Lion Kingpicked up with something similar.
As the start ofMufasa: The Lion Kingwelcomes audiences to the Pride Lands ruled by Simba, it’s clear that this paradise is just as prosperous as it was under Mufasa. We see many of the same groups of animals, from the massive elephants and giraffes to the tiny ants scurrying across the ground. The circle of life is still in full swing.
12Kiara - Simba & Nala’s Daughter
Mufasa: The Lion Kingis clearly a different version ofcanon thanThe Lion King II: Simba’s Pride. The 2024 sequel picks up with Nala ready to give birth to another cub, which never happens in the old direct-to-video sequel. However, Disney didn’t abandon every aspect of its 1998 movie.
Simba and Nala’s daughter is introduced as Kiara inMufasa: The Lion King, and this is the same name she had inThe Lion King II: Simba’s Pride.So far, there is no mention of Kovu, and the introduction of Kiara’s baby brother further separates these two sequels. Still, Kiara’s name was a meaningful reference to those who loved the original 1998 sequel.
11Timon & Pumbaa’s Hakuna Matata Jokes
Just like in 1994’sThe Lion King, Timon and Pumbaa broke the fourth wall inMufasa: The Lion King. They frequently made meta jokes to entertain the audience, which was especially entertaining because they related to their iconic song, “Hakuna Matata.”
InMufasa: The Lion King, Timon and Pumbaa joked that their musical number in the first movie was powerful enough to get Simba “singing and dancing,” even when he believed he had just killed his father. Additionally,they mentioned that they sang the song for six years straight, referencing the fact that “Hakuna Matata” doubled as an aging-up montage for Simba, who was an adult lion by the time the song ended inThe Lion King.
10“He Lives In You, He Lives In Me”
Mufasa: The Lion Kingfrequently featured the original songsfromThe Lion King, but there were also a few references to the musical numbers from theLion Kingmusical andThe Lion King II: Simba’s Pride. An example of this is the repeated use of the line “he lives in you, he lives in me,” which popped up in songs or dialogue alike.
The line “he lives in you, he lives in me” is featured in theMufasa: The Lion Kingsong “Milele.”
“He Lives in You” is one of the songs from theLion KingmusicalandTheLion King II: Simba’s Pride, and though the number itself wasn’t featured, its lyrics were a frequent presence throughoutMufasa: The Lion King.It was used during both Mufasa and Kiara’s stories to reference the continued place of their ancestors in their hearts.
9“Circle Of Life” Song Cameo
The song “Circle of Life” perfectly representsThe Lion King,as its lyrics and general tone perfectly match the movie’s themes.For this reason, it makes sense that the music and lyrics of this song would occasionally appear inMufasa: The Lion King.
The memorable opening notes of “Circle of Life” can be heard inMufasa: The Lion Kingwhen little Mufasa falls into the water and is pulled under. As he twists and turns, unable to swim, these notes play out. It’s a demonstration of Mufasa’s own place in the circle of life and how his being washed away by the flood is all part of his destiny.
8Taka Grabbing Mufasa’s Paws
Mufasa: The Lion Kingreveals that Mufasa and Scar weren’t biological brothers after all. Instead, Scar—originally called Taka—was a young prince who rescued Mufasa from the river after being washed away from his family.
Later in the 2024 movie, when Taka is again faced with a choice to save Mufasa or doom him, he places his paws precisely the same way.
When little Taka saved Mufasa’s life inMufasa: The Lion King, he clapped his paws over the cub’s and dug his claws in. At this moment,the music shifted to match the moment inThe Lion Kingwhen Scar put his paws over Mufasa’s before pushing his brother off the cliff to his death. Later in the 2024 movie, when Taka is again faced with a choice to save Mufasa or doom him, he places his paws precisely the same way.
7Mufasa: The Lion King’s Age-Up Montage
The Lion Kingfamously aged Simba up during the song “Hakuna Matata.” He started the song as a young cub and ended it as a full-grown lion. Now,Mufasa: The LionKinghas done something similar with the song “I Always Wanted a Brother.”
This reference is interesting since both “Hakuna Matata” and “I Always Wanted a Brother” center on the relationships Simba and Mufasa formed after being separated from their family. Just as Timon and Pumbaa served as Simba’s new family, Taka became a brother to Mufasa. Of course,this age-up montage is bittersweetsince audiences know what Taka and Mufasa will become.
6Timon & Pumbaa’s “Hakuna Mufasa”
Timon and Pumbaa referenced their big “Hakuna Matata” moment earlier inMufasa: The Lion King, butthey eventually got a scene to perform the musical number. Of course, this time around,they changed the lyrics to say “Hakuna Mufasa” instead.
What The Lion King’s “Hakuna Matata” Actually Means
“Hakuna Matata,” both the catchphrase and the song, is one of the most iconic parts of The Lion King. But what does the phrase actually mean?
Naturally, Timon and Pumbaa’s new silly song came with a variety of jokes about legal rights and lawsuits.Breaking the fourth wall has always been a significant part of these characters' appeal, and they keep that going throughout their time inMufasa: The Lion King.
5The Elephant Stampede Parallels
The elephant stampede inMufasa: The Lion Kingwas full of references and parallels to the big stampede that killed Mufasa inThe Lion King. First,the musical score is highly similar, with several climactic moments from the original movie carried overto the 2024 prequel.
Additionally, many individual shots in this scene inMufasa: The Lion Kingalignwith moments inThe Lion King. Sarabi hanging from a branch parallels little Simba’s desperate attempts to stay above the stampede, while Taka looking over the cliff’s edge is similar to his later role.
