kiara from both the live action movie and the lion king 2 both looking inquisitive


Mufasa: The Lion King
has caused a surge in popularity for the franchise, but there is a forgotten movie from the franchise that fans need to see. The first Lion King movie was released in 1994. This hit animated film from Disney was a part of a significant resurgence for the brand after an extended slow period for their animated movies. And of course, while Disney continued to invest in new animated projects, they also expanded their popular stories like The Lion King.

This led to a sequel being made in 1998 which jumped ahead and explored what life was like for Simba as the head of his own pride. But then, the timeline gets more complicated when another sequel arrives in 2004, which is simultaneously a prequel, and a sidequel. Beyond that, there were video games and TV shows that further expanded the Lion King universe, until the live-action remake of the original movie came out in 2019. And now, Mufasa serves as a prequel for the entire franchise, while also having some contemporary framing, which leaves the entire timeline kind of messy.

The Lion King 1 1/2 Is Actually Better Than The Lion King 2 – What The “Inbetwequel” Movie Is About

The Lion King 1 1/2 Has An Odd Placement In The Timeline

However, putting aside the overly complicated timeline for a moment, the 2004 The Lion King 1 1/2 stands out as one of the best movies in the franchise, and one that has a story that easily tops The Lion King 2. And, the movie has a lot in common with Mufasa, at least from a framing point of view. The Lion King 1 1/2 features Timon and Pumbaa, both voiced by the spectacular original actors, Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella, as they watch the events of their previous adventures. However, the quirky duo notice that it doesn’t feature them enough.

taka-from-Mufasa--The-Lion-King

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So, Timon and Pumbaa take it upon themselves to share their origin story with the audience. They go back to their separate childhoods, and what it was like to grow up in their independent circumstances. Meanwhile, the movie makes frequent cuts back and forth with the modern characters in the theater, adding further context and commentary. While Mufasa tried to implement a similar framing device in the live-action sequel, the result was far less fun and comical than what came out of The Lion King 1 1/2, potentially because it played to its strengths and made the commentary a fun joke, while Mufasa contains a more serious story with silly cuts in between.

No Animated Sequel Was Ever Going To Live Up To The Lion King

The Lion King Is One Of The Greatest Movies Ever Made

However, the original The Lion King movie from 1994 still stands supreme as a movie with spectacular music from Elton John, a deep and emotional story, and it stands out as the original and best. No sequel could truly hope to overtake the original in terms of its success and popularity, and that is a large part of why The Lion King 2 tries and failed to generate enthusiasm that lived up to the original. And beyond that, the live-action movies tried to replicate the original in a near word for word remake, with some new shiny computer graphics, and while it was financially successful, it didn’t have the same heart as the original movie.

But when it comes to The Lion King 1 1/2, it knew it couldn’t compete in numerous ways, so it played to its strengths. It brought back two of the funniest and most entertaining stars from the original film, it gave those characters to look back at the story, and then disregard the intense, emotional, movies the audience knows and loves in favor of telling their own story. From that moment onward, the entire movie relieves the pressure of living up to the original, and suddenly becomes a lighter, fun, and goofy adventure story about two friends, and the challenges they face finding their way forward.

The Lion King 1 1/2 Is Totally Goofy, But Uses Timon & Pumbaa Better Than Mufasa

Timon & Pumbaa Are Incredible Characters In The Right Context

In Mufasa: The Lion King, the film’s framing device where Simba’s daughter, Kiara, is being cared for by his friends while he supports Nala as she gives birth, is an emotional setup. Yes, Timon and Pumbaa are there, and they try to make the situation lighter, but Kiara is scared, and she wants to know her father and mother are ok. So, when Rafiki comes along to tell her the story of her brave and noble grandfather going through challenges in his youth, this is a beautiful setup. But it’s also the point at which Timon and Pumbaa begin to feel out of place and redundant.

Mufasa in Mufasa: The Lion King and Simba in the Lion King

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The rest of the movie is largely a prequel story, with brief cuts back to Kiara in the cave with Rafiki, Timon, and Pumbaa, but if the movie wanted to use the framing narrative like The Lion King 1 1/2, it should have stuck with just Rafiki and Kiara. Instead, Timon and Pumbaa’s butting in becomes irritating, and out of place. Timon and Pumbaa have a place in the franchise, but the portrayal of the characters in Mufasa went against the story and tone of the project. But The Lion King 1 1/2 did not have the same issue, and that’s all because the movie played to its strengths.

The Lion King 1 1/2 Knows What Kind Of Movie It Is, & That’s It’s Biggest Strength

The Lion King 1 1/2 Plays To Timon & Pumbaa’s Strengths

The Lion King 1 1/2 was not an attempt to build on the original Simba storyline. It didn’t try to overwrite the things that happened before, nor did it try to rewrite the history of key characters. Instead, it took two fun and witty side characters from the original movie, and gave them a platform to give their own commentary. And true to the characters, Timon and Pumbaa take the opportunity to do their own thing, forget the stories that don’t include them, and start debating their own personal histories.

These movies work best when they understand what they are, which ironically echoes the message that can be found running throughout the franchise.

The Lion King 1 1/2 is witty, it’s fun, and it doesn’t take itself too seriously. Mufasa benefits from being a rich backstory that has long been debated and finally set in stone, and the original story is an epic animated film that delivers powerful messages through a wonderful animated lens that makes it resonate with both children and adults. These movies work best when they understand what they are, which ironically echoes the message that can be found running throughout the franchise, all the way from the original The Lion King, down to Mufasa: The Lion King, and those planted firmly in the middle.



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