Screenwriter Jeff Nathanson breaks down how 'Mufasa,' now in theaters, connects back to original 'Lion King' saga.

From James Earl Jones’ moving farewell to a reimagined version of Pride Rock’s creation, Barry Jenkins’ Mufasa: The Lion King weaves countless references to Disney‘s beloved franchise throughout its origin story while crafting its own powerful narrative.

Such incredible numbers imply that the Disney film franchise is quite a lucrative name, making over USD 2.6 billion in the global box office. Now, with the King of the Jungle returning for another iteration, will reaching the USD 3 billion goal be a “Hakuna Matata” situation? We’ll wait and watch.

Mufasa: The Lion King finally reveals how Taka got his famous Scar, and it works so much better than another similar Disney origin story.

Mufasa: The Lion King has its merits and has done well at the box office, but the Disney franchise still needs to return to its roots.