Mufasa: The Lion Kinghas a touching tribute to one of the franchise’s original stars, as it begins with a James Earl Jones quote. The 2024 Disney movie is a prequel to 2019’s “live-action"The Lion Kingfrom director Jon Favreau. Although Favreau recast the majority of roles, James Earl Jones was the lone cast member from the animated 1994 film to return. However, James Earl Jones does not reprise his role inMufasa: The Lion King’s cast, with Aaron Pierre replacing him as the voice of a younger version of the future king due to its prequel setting.
This decision was made early onMufasa’s development and long before James Earl Jones passed away. The iconic actor died at the age of 93 years old in September 2024, roughly three months before Disneyreleased anotherThe Lion Kingmovie. James Earl Jones was part of the voice casts of three previous movies in the franchise: 1994’sThe Lion King,The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride, and 2019’sThe Lion King. Although he’s not part of the cast for the prequel centered on a character he helped make so famous,Mufasastill gives James Earl Jones a tribute.
Mufasa Uses A Quote From The Lion King To Honor James Earl Jones
Jones' Iconic Voice Is Heard One More Time
BeforeMufasa: The Lion Kingreally begins, the film opens on a black screen. Anyone whowatchesMufasa: The Lion Kingwill hear James Earl Jones' voice as a quote from Mufasa inThe Lion Kingplays. Once the quote has finished,“In Remembrance of James Earl Jones” pops up on the screen for a few secondsbefore the Mufasa prequel story starts. The Mufasa quote from James Earl Jones that can be heard is:
“Look at the stars. The great kings of the past look down on us from those stars. Whenever you feel alone, just remember that those kings will always be there to guide you. And so will I.”
The James Earl Jones quote used to startMufasa: The Lion Kingshould be recognizable to audiences familiar with the franchise. This is what Mufasa tells a young Simba the night after the run-in with the hyenas as they look at the stars and talk about their ancestors. The quote foreshadows Mufasa’s death and how he is still with Simba afterwards inThe Lion King. Now, it takes on an extra meaning asa way to acknowledge that James Earl Jones is also goneand looking down on the world, just like Mufasa did.
Why Mufasa Pays Tribute To James Earl Jones
James Earl Jones was never part of the 2024 film’s production, and he did not record any new dialogue forMufasa: The Lion King. The film could have easily happened without acknowledging the legendary actor, his contributions to the franchise, or his death. In fact,this tribute was not always planned. Director Barry Jenkins confirmed that he came up with the idea to use the Mufasa quote at the beginning of his prequel right around the time of James Earl Jones’s death. He toldEW,“It just felt like it was something that we had to do.”
I was actually doing some early, early press, almost an hour before Mr. James Earl Jones passed. I remember both intellectually preparing myself for that conversation, but emotionally thinking about, ‘What am I going to do?’ or ‘We have to do something for 30 years [the anniversary of the original Lion King].’ I grew up without a father figure. I think for a lot of people this character and that voice is synonymous with this idea of a surrogate father, or at least the example of what a father-son dynamic should be like. I wanted to find a way to honor that… I heard his voice. It just felt like it was something that we had to do.
The decision to openMufasa: The Lion Kingwith a James Earl Jones quote is one that Disney fully supported, according to Jenkins. The director also noted that using this specific quote"wasn’t an intellectual choice. It was a gut choice.“The core reason for the tribute was Jenkins' desire to honor the importance that Mufasa has for many viewers, including those like him who saw him as an example of what a father-son dynamic should be like.Mufasa: The Lion Kingeffectively honors James Earl Jones and his Mufasa performance in the process.
