{"id":13059,"date":"2025-01-03T06:26:11","date_gmt":"2025-01-03T13:26:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/?p=13059"},"modified":"2025-01-16T13:57:17","modified_gmt":"2025-01-16T20:57:17","slug":"mufasa-the-lion-king","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/2025\/mufasa-the-lion-king\/","title":{"rendered":"Mufasa: The Lion King * An Animated Thriller With A Heartwarming Storyline About Believing, Love, And Family"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13074 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Mufasa.poster.jpg?resize=115%2C204&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"115\" height=\"204\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Mufasa.poster.jpg?resize=169%2C300&amp;ssl=1 169w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Mufasa.poster.jpg?w=338&amp;ssl=1 338w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 115px) 100vw, 115px\" \/>Exploring\u00a0the\u00a0unlikely rise of\u00a0the\u00a0beloved\u00a0king\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0Pride Lands, \u201cMufasa:\u00a0The\u00a0Lion\u00a0King\u201d enlists Rafiki to relay\u00a0the\u00a0legend of\u00a0Mufasa\u00a0to young\u00a0lion\u00a0cub Kiara, daughter of Simba and Nala, with Timon and Pumbaa lending their signature schtick. Told in flashbacks,\u00a0the\u00a0story introduces\u00a0Mufasa\u00a0as an orphaned cub, lost and alone until he meets a sympathetic\u00a0lion\u00a0named Taka\u2014the\u00a0heir to a royal bloodline.\u00a0The\u00a0chance meeting sets in motion an expansive journey of an extraordinary group of misfits searching for their destiny\u2014their bonds will be tested as they work together to evade a threatening and deadly foe.<\/p>\n<p>KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Junior R. comments, \u201c<em>Mufasa: The Lion King<\/em>, takes us back to the beginnings of one of Disney\u2019s most beloved characters.\u00a0 As a huge fan of the original <em>Lion King<\/em>, I was thrilled to see the true story of how the great Mufasa came to be.\u201d Juliana S. adds, \u201cI love the film <em>Mufasa: The Lion King!<\/em> The movie has incredibly detailed animation and provides the message that everyone has a place in this world, and that you don\u2019t have to be born great to become great.\u201d Mikella G. wraps it up with, \u201cMufasa: The Lion King is an animated thriller. I really like this film and the way that it explores the Lion King\u2019s story in a new way. It has a heartwarming storyline that teaches the important lessons of believing, love, and family.\u201d See their full reviews below.<\/p>\n<p>Mufasa: The Lion King<br \/>\nBy Junior R., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 11<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/KM0JsS5_KF4?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_13073\" style=\"width: 236px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-13073\" class=\" wp-image-13073\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/mufasa.a.jpg?resize=226%2C122&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"226\" height=\"122\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/mufasa.a.jpg?resize=300%2C162&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/mufasa.a.jpg?w=599&amp;ssl=1 599w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 226px) 100vw, 226px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-13073\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sarabi (Tiffany Boone), Mufasa (Aaron Pierre), Rafiki (Kagiso Lediga), and Taka (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) in Disney\u2019s live-action MUFASA: THE LION KING. Photo courtesy of Disney. \u00a9 2024<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Time to visit Pride Rock once again.\u00a0 <em>Mufasa: The Lion King<\/em> takes us back to the beginnings of one of Disney\u2019s most beloved characters.\u00a0 As a huge fan of the original <em>Lion King<\/em>, I was thrilled to see the true story of how the great Mufasa came to be.<\/p>\n<p><em>Mufasa: The Lion King<\/em> explores the untold story of Mufasa\u2019s youth long before he became the king of The Pride Lands. The film follows his journey from a humble and uncertain young lion to the wise, noble leader we know. Along the way, Mufasa forms deep bonds of friendship, faces challenges, and navigates a complicated relationship.<\/p>\n<p>As he learns what it means to be a leader, Mufasa discovers that true strength comes from love, loyalty, and doing what\u2019s right, no matter the cost.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_13071\" style=\"width: 238px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-13071\" class=\" wp-image-13071\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Mufasa.c.jpg?resize=228%2C123&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"228\" height=\"123\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Mufasa.c.jpg?resize=300%2C162&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Mufasa.c.jpg?w=599&amp;ssl=1 599w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 228px) 100vw, 228px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-13071\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kiros (voiced by Mads Mikkelson) in Disney\u2019s live-action MUFASA: THE LION KING. Photo courtesy of Disney. \u00a9 2024 Disney Enterprises Inc. All Rights Reserved.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Mufasa faces a lot of challenges, but he always tries to do the right thing and protect those he loves. Writers Jeff Nathanson, Linda Woolverton, and Irene Mecchi have created a strong storyline that connects the puzzle pieces together to complete the full story of the Lion King and Mufasa.\u00a0 In <em>Mufasa: The Lion King<\/em>, the characters come to life in a way that feels both familiar and fresh.\u00a0 The heart of the movie revolves around Mufasa (Aaron Pierre), who brings warmth and wisdom to the young lion\u2019s journey.<\/p>\n<p>As the film explores his bond with his brother Scar (Kelvin Harrison Jr.), their complex relationship is highlighted through both voice acting and rich storytelling. A breathtaking moment for me is when a single water droplet freezes in mid-air, perfectly capturing Simba\u2019s (Donald Glover) face.\u00a0 It creates an almost surreal feeling, as if time itself has paused, and the film freezes in that very instant, allowing the emotion in that scene to linger.\u00a0 The music does not disappoint in this film either, with catchy, upbeat songs throughout.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_13064\" style=\"width: 236px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-13064\" class=\" wp-image-13064\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/mufasa.j.jpg?resize=226%2C122&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"226\" height=\"122\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/mufasa.j.jpg?resize=300%2C162&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/mufasa.j.jpg?w=599&amp;ssl=1 599w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 226px) 100vw, 226px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-13064\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">(L-R) Mufasa (voiced by Aaron Pierre), Young Rafiki (Kagiso Lediga), Taka (voiced by Kelvin Harrison Jr.) and Sarabi (Tiffany Boone). Photo courtesy of Disney. \u00a9 2024 Disney Enterprises Inc. All Rights Reserved.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>The film emphasizes that true leadership comes from being kind, strong, and fair, while also reminding us that sometimes family dynamics can be complicated.\u00a0 The story highlights the importance of staying true to oneself, even when life is tough.\u00a0 The movie focuses on choosing to do what is right, no matter what happens.\u00a0 Be forewarned, there are a lot of fighting scenes throughout the film.\u00a0 While not overly graphic, it can be a bit intense especially for younger audiences.<\/p>\n<p><em>Mufasa: The Lion King<\/em> gets 3 out of 5 stars from me and I recommend it for ages 8 to 12, plus adults. \u00a0<em>Mufasa: The Lion King<\/em> releases in theaters December 20, 2024.<\/p>\n<p>Mufasa: The Lion King<br \/>\nBy Juliana S, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 16<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/vXsDtY51HKo?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_13061\" style=\"width: 236px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-13061\" class=\" wp-image-13061\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/mufasa.m.jpg?resize=226%2C122&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"226\" height=\"122\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/mufasa.m.jpg?resize=300%2C162&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/mufasa.m.jpg?w=599&amp;ssl=1 599w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 226px) 100vw, 226px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-13061\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">(L-R): Sarabi (voiced by Tiffany Boone), Taka (voiced by Kelvin Harrison Jr.), Mufasa (voiced by Aaron Pierre), and Rafiki (voiced by Kagiso Lediga) in Disney\u2019s live-action MUFASA: THE LION KING. Photo courtesy of Disney. \u00a9 2024 Disney Enterprises Inc. All Rights Reserved.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>I love the film <em>Mufasa: The Lion King!<\/em> The movie has incredibly detailed animation and provides the message that everyone has a place in this world, and that you don\u2019t have to be born great to become great. These morals are conveyed through the dialogue and plot of the film.<\/p>\n<p><em>Mufasa: The Lion King<\/em> tells the backstory of the young lion, Mufasa (Aaron Pierre), who is separated from his parents and taken far from home. A young Taka (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) gladly takes him into his home, and his mother, Eshe (Thandiwe Newton) raises the lost lion. As Mufasa grows up, he learns how to understand his surroundings and hunt like a female. Eventually, Taka and Mufasa have to leave home together and go on a long adventure, to find the magical land of Milele.<\/p>\n<p>One actor who really stands out to me is John Kani, who voices the all-knowing Mandrill monkey, Rafiki. Kani not only voices Rafiki with passion, but understands his character deeply. John Kani uses timing and volume to truly set in the words of the wise monkey. When saying philosophical things, which occurs often, Rafiki takes his time to ensure that the message gets across to the other animals.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_13063\" style=\"width: 236px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-13063\" class=\" wp-image-13063\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Mufasa.k.jpg?resize=226%2C122&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"226\" height=\"122\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Mufasa.k.jpg?resize=300%2C162&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Mufasa.k.jpg?w=599&amp;ssl=1 599w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 226px) 100vw, 226px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-13063\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Young Rafiki (voiced by Kagiso Lediga) live-action Disney\u2019s MUFASA: THE LION KING. Photo courtesy of Disney. \u00a9 2024 Disney Enterprises Inc. All Rights Reserved.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Another thing that stands out is the animation; the head of the team being Pascal Blais. One of the first things that I noticed when the movie started is how realistic the animation is. Every piece of fur on the lions\u2019 coats, every highlight or shadow, even every small gust of wind that blows the leaves in the trees is so carefully created. The transitions of the film flow smoothly and show how truly talented the animation team is.<\/p>\n<p>The message of this film is that you have a place, and no matter where you come from, you can be something great. Mufasa is very successful in motivating others to take action and be brave in everyday life!<\/p>\n<p>I give <em>Mufasa: The Lion King<\/em> 5 out of 5 stars, and recommend it for ages 8 to 18, plus adults. It opens in theatres on December 20, 2024.<\/p>\n<p>Mufasa: The Lion King<br \/>\nBy Mikella G., KIDS FIRST! Film Critics, age 18<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/-qngtcVm0mU?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_13060\" style=\"width: 236px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-13060\" class=\" wp-image-13060\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Mufasa.n.jpg?resize=226%2C122&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"226\" height=\"122\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Mufasa.n.jpg?resize=300%2C162&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Mufasa.n.jpg?w=599&amp;ssl=1 599w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 226px) 100vw, 226px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-13060\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">(L-R): Mufasa (voiced by Aaron Pierre), Eshe (Thandiwe Newton), and Taka (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) in Disney\u2019s live-action MUFASA: THE LION KING. Photo courtesy of Disney.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><em>Mufasa: The Lion King<\/em> is an animated thriller. I really like this film and the way that it explores the Lion King\u2019s story in a new way. It has a heartwarming storyline that teaches the important lessons of believing, love, and family.<\/p>\n<p>In this film, Rafiki (John Kani) tells the story of Mufasa to Kiara (Blue Ivy Carter), Timon (Billy Eichner) and Pumbaa (Seth Rogan). We learn that when Mufasa (Aaron Pierre) was a child he was unfortunately separated from his family. However, he never gave up on the land of Malaylay, and kept that hope with him throughout his wild, unexpected journey through life.<\/p>\n<p>Something that really stands out in the <em>Mufasa: The Lion King<\/em> is the cgi. The animation of the lions is incredibly realistic. Although they are animals, each has human-like emotions on their faces and very distinctive features.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_13062\" style=\"width: 236px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-13062\" class=\" wp-image-13062\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/mufasa.l.jpg?resize=226%2C122&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"226\" height=\"122\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/mufasa.l.jpg?resize=300%2C162&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/mufasa.l.jpg?w=599&amp;ssl=1 599w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 226px) 100vw, 226px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-13062\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">(L-R): Mufasa (voiced by Aaron Pierre) and Taka (voiced by Kelvin Harrison Jr.) in Disney\u2019s live-action MUFASA: THE LION KING. Photo courtesy of Disney. \u00a9 2024 Disney Enterprises Inc. All Rights Reserved.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Aside from the characters, all of the scenery is beautiful. The land of Malaylay is so colorful and vibrant, and the flowers and trees completely stand out. Even the underwater scenes are vibrant and realistic. Experiencing the film in IMAX completely added to the experience and made me feel like I was really there in these places. Another thing I really enjoyed is all of the references to the original <em>Lion King<\/em> film. The first movie is such a huge part of my childhood, and a film that I really connect with. <em>Mufasa<\/em> really feels like an adaptation of that movie while telling a completely different story. It is really interesting to discover this storyline and connect the dots to all the questions I used to have. Specifically, finding out the story of Scar (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) and the history he has with Mufasa was really cool for me to learn.<\/p>\n<p>Lastly, the music is outstanding. Lin Manuel Miranda composed such delightful, yet strong songs for this film. The musical theater aspect of this film is another thing that I really enjoyed.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_13066\" style=\"width: 236px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-13066\" class=\" wp-image-13066\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Mufasa.h.jpg?resize=226%2C122&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"226\" height=\"122\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Mufasa.h.jpg?resize=300%2C162&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Mufasa.h.jpg?w=599&amp;ssl=1 599w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 226px) 100vw, 226px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-13066\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mufasa (voiced by Aaron Pierre) in Disney\u2019s live-action MUFASA: THE LION KING. Photo courtesy of Disney. \u00a9 2024 Disney Enterprises Inc. All Rights Reserved.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Also, some of the songs tie in with music from the original <em>Lion King<\/em> which really connects everything and makes it feel like one story. Music is such an important part of the <em>Lion King<\/em> franchise, and the score of this film completely exceeded my expectations.<\/p>\n<p>The message of <em>Mufasa: The Lion King<\/em> is to never give up on what you believe in.<\/p>\n<p>I give <em>Mufasa: The Lion King<\/em> 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it to ages 8 to 18 plus adults. <em>Mufasa: The Lion King<\/em> releases in theaters December 20, 2024.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/lMXh6vjiZrI?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Exploring the unlikely rise of the beloved king of the Pride Lands, \u201cMufasa: The Lion King\u201d enlists Rafiki to relay the legend of Mufasa to young lion cub Kiara, daughter of Simba and Nala, with Timon and Pumbaa lending their signature schtick. Told in flashbacks, the story introduces Mufasa as an orphaned cub, lost and alone until he meets a sympathetic lion named Taka\u2014the heir to a royal bloodline. The chance meeting sets in motion an expansive journey of an extraordinary group of misfits searching for their destiny\u2014their bonds will be tested as they work together to evade a threatening and deadly foe. <\/p>\n<p>KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Junior R. comments, \u201cMufasa: The Lion King, takes us back to the beginnings of one of Disney\u2019s most beloved characters.  As a huge fan of the original Lion King, I was thrilled to see the true story of how the great Mufasa came to be.\u201d Juliana S. adds, \u201cI love the film Mufasa: The Lion King! The movie has incredibly detailed animation and provides the message that everyone has a place in this world, and that you don\u2019t have to be born great to become great.\u201d Mikella G. wraps it up with, \u201cMufasa: The Lion King is an animated thriller. I really like this film and the way that it explores the Lion King\u2019s story in a new way. It has a heartwarming storyline that teaches the important lessons of believing, love, and family.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[4949,15],"tags":[8561,8574,8578,1001,22,8577,8576,8570,1783,8581,35,8575,402,8572,8573,6410,8562,63,8566,8579,8565,8569,1166,8564,8560,8568,8580,8567,398,8563,3838,8571,5636],"class_list":["post-13059","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-feature-film","category-feature-film-reviews","tag-aaron-pierre","tag-abdul-salis","tag-adele-romanski","tag-adventure","tag-animation","tag-barry-jenkins","tag-beyonde-knowles-carter","tag-blue-ivy-carter","tag-by-kids-for-kids","tag-david-metzger","tag-disney","tag-dominique-jennings","tag-donald-glover","tag-folake-olowofoyeku","tag-joanna-jones","tag-john-kani","tag-kelvin-harrison-jr","tag-lin-manuel-miranda","tag-mandrill-monkey","tag-mark-ceryak","tag-milele","tag-motivating","tag-movie-reviews","tag-mufasa","tag-mufasa-the-lion-king","tag-pascal-blais","tag-peter-tobyansen","tag-rafiki","tag-seth-rogen","tag-taka","tag-thandiwe-newton","tag-theo-somolu","tag-thuso-mbedu"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paS5I2-3oD","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13059","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13059"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13059\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13080,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13059\/revisions\/13080"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13059"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13059"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13059"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}