Before the return to the Pride Lands on December 20, Disney revealed eight new character posters showcasing the main cast of Mufasa: The Lion King. This upcoming film, directed by Oscar-winner Barry Jenkins (Moonlight, If Beale Street Could Talk), serves as both a prequel and sequel to the 2019 The Lion King. The story follows the journey of a young orphan who would eventually become king of the Pride Lands—Mufasa, voiced by Aaron Pierre (Rebel Ridge), taking over the role originally voiced by the late James Earl Jones. The narrative unfolds through flashbacks, with Rafiki (John Kani) telling the legend of Mufasa to the young cub Kiara (Blue Ivy Carter, in her acting debut), the daughter of King Simba (Donald Glover) and Queen Nala (Beyoncé Knowles-Carter).
In addition to the return of fan-favorite characters Timon (Billy Eichner) and Pumbaa (Seth Rogen), the posters from Disney France also introduce new faces, including Zazu (Preston Nyman, replacing John Oliver) and the younger version of Rafiki (Kagiso Lediga). The lion pride expands with Mufasa’s future queen Sarabi (Tiffany Boone), his adoptive brother Taka (Kelvin Harrison Jr.), who will later take on the name Scar, and Kiros, a white lion king played by Mads Mikkelsen.
In Disney’s The Lion King (1994), Scar (voiced by Jeremy Irons) kills his brother, Mufasa (James Earl Jones), seizing the throne of the Pride Lands and framing Mufasa’s son, Simba (Jonathan Taylor Thomas), for the murder. As Simba grows up, he returns, defeats Scar, and reclaims his rightful place as king.
A 1994 book, The Lion King: A Tale of Two Brothers, explores Scar’s backstory. Born Taka, he was the second son of King Ahadi and Queen Uru. Jealous of Mufasa’s favored position, Taka plots to kill him and become the heir, but his scheme fails. After Mufasa saves him from a buffalo stampede, Taka is scared and adopts the name “Scar,” vowing revenge.
In contrast, The Lion Guard animated series presents a different origin. In this version, Scar is named after his ancestor Askari and receives his scar from a cobra. He is tasked with leading the Lion Guard, the kingdom’s protectors, but loses his powers after a failed rebellion against Mufasa.
The upcoming prequel Mufasa: The Lion King (2024), which follows the 2019 photorealistic remake, introduces yet another variation. Scar, voiced by Kelvin Harrison Jr., is depicted as the “heir to a royal bloodline,” with a sympathetic relationship to the young Mufasa (Aaron Pierre). In this version, Taka and Mufasa are not blood relatives but instead raised as brothers by different parents—Taka’s Obasi (Lennie James) and Eshe (Thandiwe Newton), while Mufasa’s are Masego (Keith David) and Afia (Anika Noni Rose).
Interestingly, early drafts of The Lion King had Scar as a rogue lion, not Mufasa’s brother. Producer Don Hahn revealed in 2022 that Scar’s character was inspired by King Claudius from Shakespeare’s *Hamlet*, before the brotherly relationship was added to the story.