When Will 'Mufasa' Be on Disney Plus? Here's What to Expect for 'The Lion King' Prequel
'Mufasa' tells the tale of how Scar and Mufasa came to be bitter enemies. If you're ready for the heartbreak, here's when it will stream.
Published Jan. 3 2025, 1:20 p.m. ET
2024 was the year of Hollywood throwbacks. Gladiator 2, Moana 2, and Y2K all hearkened back to years before in different ways. But there was one movie in particular that squeaked into theaters before the end of the year that still has people buzzing: Mufasa: The Lion King.
This Lion King prequel was the story that came before that no one asked for, but everyone has loved seeing come to life. Well, come to CGI, anyway. But maybe you can't make it out to the theater and are wondering: when will Mufasa be streaming on Disney Plus? Here's what we know about the release date and the movie's charming but heartbreaking plot.
When will 'Mufasa' be streaming on Disney Plus?
Mufasa hit theaters on Dec. 20, 2024. Like nearly all Disney releases, it was met with excitement and acclaim. But gone are the days when theater releases and streaming releases occur simultaneously, so if you can't see it in theater you may be wondering when you'll finally be able to get in on the fun.
Unfortunately, Disney has not released any information as to when Mufasa will be available on Disney Plus. However, we can look back at some other movie releases for clues as to when we can expect the movie to drop on streaming and VOD.
In the past, theater releases have averaged about 50-60 days between theater release and becoming available to rent or buy on VOD platforms. Disney Plus usually receives the films for streaming approximately 90 to 110 days after theater releases, per MSN.
So we are probably looking at a March to mid-April streaming release date for Disney Plus subscribers, and perhaps a little earlier if you're willing to shell out some money to buy or rent it.
Here's the heartwarming and heartbreaking story behind 'Mufasa.'
In the meantime, we can talk about the one thing on everyone's mind: How exactly did Mufasa and Scar become such bitter enemies? We'll try to keep this spoiler-free, but proceed with caution if you don't want to know too much about the plot of the film.
It all, apparently, starts with a little lion prince, Taka, who we now know grows up to be Scar. Taka saves a lost and imperiled Mufasa, who seems to be far from home.
Despite the animosity we see between the pair in the original Lion King movies, it's clear that the two start their relationship with love and hope.
Throughout the film, the adoptive brothers work as a team to find Mufasa's family, occasionally butting heads over differences in approaches.
But the trailer doesn't offer anything to explain what led to their painful rift and eventual rivalry.
The question is: Are we ready to have our hearts ripped out by watching these sweet baby brothers turn into enemies as adults?
No, but we're excited to watch the movie anyway.