Taka, who later becomes Scar. The movie, released on December 20, brings back several voice actors, including Donald Glover and Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, but adds Mads Mikkelsen, Thandiwe Newton, Lennie James, Aaron Pierre, and Kelvin Harrison Jr.

Now that Mufasa: The Lion King has premiered in theaters, the scores on Rotten Tomatoes reveal a disconnect. The Popcornmeter, currently at 89%, is a noticeable contrast from the critic-based Tomatometer, which only stands at 57%. This kind of division happened back in 2019 as well, when critical reception of The Lion King was negative, but audiences gave the movie an 88% on the aggregator.

What Contrasting Reviews Mean For Mufasa: The Lion King

Critics And Audiences Appreciate Different Things

Polarizing reactions to Mufasa: The Lion King suggest that critics and audiences have their own expectations. Critics have pointed out numerous drawbacks of the movie, including the animation style, which has been changed to give animals more discernible expressions, but continues to appear dull. While Lin-Manuel Miranda created new songs for the prequel, it’s lacking “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King,” “Hakuna Matata,” or music of that kind as well. Furthermore, some may view the film as a money grab, after The Lion King remake earned over $1 billion.

Mufasa: The Lion King is family friendly, and that broad appeal could partially explain the impressive audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. The returning voice actors, notably Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen, are another bright spot. Timon and Pumbaa, who were standouts from the 2019 movie, continue impacting the humor, and audiences get to see a little more of Simba, Nala, and Rafiki, too. Those nostalgic for the original animated film will also find things to enjoy here, because Mufasa: The Lion King features several callbacks.

Our Take On These Mufasa: The Lion King Reviews

Polarizing Reactions Were Bound To Happen Again

Based on the reception towards The Lion King, following its release in 2019, another divide between critics and audiences seemed unavoidable. As of present, the remake of Disney’s cherished 1994 animated film holds a score of 51% on Rotten Tomatoes, while the Popcornmeter remains at 88%. Particular criticism pointed to the CGI and lackluster story adaptation, and now, similar issues regarding Mufasa: The Lion King are being raised. However, audiences appreciated seeing the world and characters photorealistically brought to life, so they were more likely to enjoy the prequel, and that may be all that matters.

Source: Rotten Tomatoes