Disney’s much-anticipated prequelMufasa: The Lion Kinggot off to an underwhelming start with a disappointing opening weekend, leaving many wondering what went wrong at the box office for what seemed like a surefire success. The follow-up to Disney’s box office juggernautThe Lion Kingchronicles the story of Mufasa’s youth andrise to the throne of the Pride Lands, told via an extended flashback. Some familiar faces return, as the narrative is actually relayed as a story told to Simba’s daughter, Timon, and Pumbaa by Rafiki.
Unlike its predecessor,Mufasa: The Lion Kingcontained an original story in the lore ofThe Lion Kinguniverse. With original songs from Lin-Manuel Miranda and Academy Award-winning director Barry Jenkins at the helm, expectations were understandably high for one of Disney’s most expensive films of the last few years. Despitefixing one ofThe Lion King’s biggest flawswith more expressive animal animation,critics and audiences were divided onMufasa, which unfortunately yielded a box office total far lower than expectations in its opening weekend.
How Mufasa’s Soundtrack Compares To The Lion King: Is It Better Or Worse?
Mufasa: The Lion King delivers a soundtrack with seven original songs, but how does it compare to the original Lion King’s iconic soundtrack?
Mufasa: The Lion King Opened To Nearly Half Of Its Projected Box Office Performance
The Prequel Fell Well Short Of Most Estimates
According toDeadline, early November estimates indicated thatMufasa: The Lion Kingwas expected to generate a healthy domestic box office total in its first weekend; the most commonly-seen range was between $60-$65 million. In that context,Mufasa: The Lion King’s opening weekend was an unmitigated disaster, asit opened with just $35 million domestically across the weekend before Christmas. There are myriad reasons why any movie flops, but Disney had seen a huge resurgence lately at the box office, which makesMufasa’s low domestic total that much more noticeable.
Mufasa: The Lion King Also Struggled Internationally In Its Opening Weekend
It Topped Out More Than $50 million Short Of Projections
Oftentimes, movies (especially blockbusters) will fare better overseas than they do in the US, which can be their saving grace when it comes to profitability. Another Disney movie,Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, famously earned a billion at the global box office despite an underwhelming domestic total that would have been $130 million short of its budget. That unfortunately wasn’t the case forMufasa: The Lion King, as it earned just $122 million worldwide. With initial projections puttingMufasa’s worldwide opening weekend total at around $180 million,the international haul was just as disappointing as the domestic.
Mufasa: The Lion King’s Opening Weekend Is A Fraction Of 2019’s The Lion King
The 2019 Adaptation Was One Of The Most Successful Family Movies Ever
Mufasa: The Lion King’s early box office failure looks even more dramatic when compared to its predecessor.The Lion Kingdebuted in 2019 with an astonishing domestic opening weekend box office total of $192 million, more than five times that of the 2024 prequel.The Lion Kingwound up scoring an eye-opening $543.6 million domestic total, and an additional $1.113 billion from other countries around the globe, bringing its box office total to more than $1.6 billion.The Lion King’s global debut in particular was impressive, asits $446 million haul put it in the top 10 movies of all-time.
1994
$45 million
$978.8 million
93%
2019
$250-$260 million
$1.657 billion
51%
88%
2024
$200 million
$125 million (and counting)
55%
That final box office total madeThe Lion Kingthe highest-grossing animated movie of all time, a title it just recently lost when it was surpassed byInside Out 2’s $1.69 billion box office total.Mufasa: The Lion Kingopening to just a fraction ofThe Lion King’s total will almost certainly be considered a disappointment for Disney, no matter what the final box office total is.
Several Elements Combined For The Box Office Flop
Image via Disney
Despite the high expectations,Mufasa: The Lion Kingactually had quite a few elements working against it from a box office perspective. For one, it was released at a time whenthere was a serious amount of competition for families in theaters all at once. The latest installment in the popularSonic the Hedgehogseries debuted the same day asMufasa, which undoubtedly impacted its box office potential as families chose one or the other. On top of that, there was still a fair amount of holdover from two other juggernauts inMoana 2andWicked.
2019’sThe Lion Kingdebuted with virtually no head-to-head competition at the box office as far as family movies are concerned; it was released a full four weeks after Pixar’sToy Story 4hit theaters, and more than two weeks after Marvel’sSpider Man: Far From Home.
Mufasa: The Lion Kingalso boasted far less star power than its predecessor; nearly every character inThe Lion Kingwas voiced by a Hollywood A-lister, including Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Donald Glover, John Oliver, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Seth Rogen, and James Earl Jones reprising his role as Mufasa. Some of the voice actors returned for brief cameos, whileTimon and Pumbaa returned in earnest for the prequel. However, their presence was unnecessary and, frankly, out of place in the more serious narrative. Talented though the voice cast ofMufasais, it’s lacking the household names thatThe Lion Kingboasted.
The prequel also lacked the sheer nostalgiaand interest of the originalThe Lion King. The 1994 animated version is among the most beloved and celebrated animated films of all time, and many of the kids and teens who grew up with that movie are now parents themselves. Seeing one of their favorite animated films brought to life has obvious attraction for that audience.Mufasa, on the other hand, held none of the same amotional attachment, and the interest in an original story simply isn’t there.
Can Mufasa: The Lion King Recover At The Box Office After Its Rough Opening?
There Is Still Hope For Disney’s Most Significant Holiday Season Film
Despite the many reasons it has flopped so far, all hope is not lost forMufasa: The Lion Kingat the box office. As uninspiring as the opening weekend may have been,there are really no major threats to its reign as the top family movie in theatersover the final two weeks of December. Kids will be off from school and adults will be off from work, leaving more time and more opportunities to get to the theater.
With the holidays in play, there is still plenty of time forMufasa: The Lion Kingto not only make its budget back, but turn into a legitimate profit-earner for the House of Mouse.
Moana 2andWickedwill be another week removed from the center of attention, and thefamilies that may have selectedSonic the Hedgehog 3overMufasacould certainly circle back to the Disney prequel. It seems likely that the final box office total forMufasa: The Lion Kingwill still be disappointing in the grand scheme of things, as it will be hard for the movie to completely bounce back after such a rocky start. However, there is still plenty of time for the movie to not only make its budget back, but turn into a legitimate profit-earner for the House of Mouse.
Mufasa: The Lion King
Cast
Mufasa: The Lion King explores the origins of the beloved character Mufasa, focusing on his youth as a lost cub who encounters Taka, a royal heir. Their meeting initiates an epic journey of self-discovery and destiny, featuring a group of misfit companions navigating the challenges of their world.
