WhileMufasa: The Lion Kingis not dominating the box office, the prequel remains a powerful force in its opening weekend. It serves as the latest live-action Disney reimagining, telling the story of Mufasa’s rise to power and his falling out with Scar. TheMufasacast includesAaron Pierre (Mufasa), Kelvin Harrison Jr. (Taka/Scar), Donald Glover (Simba), Mads Mikkelsen (Kiros), and more major names in Hollywood. The movie, which had an enormous $200 million budget, opened againstSonic the Hedgehog 3this weekend.
According to a report byVariety,Mufasais expected to have earned $122.2 million worldwide through Sunday, passing the $100 million milestone with ease. That total can largely be attributed to international gains, as it earned $87.2 million overseas. A comparatively paltry $35 million came from domestic audiences.Sonic 3captured the majority of domestic viewers, as it opened in first place with $62 million.Sonic the Hedgehog 3has not yet opened internationally, which allowed theLion Kingprequel a relatively clean weekend outside of the United States.
What Mufasa’s Box Office Milestone Means
Mufasa Needs A Long Box Office Run
The milestone is an impressive one, but it will not be enough to save Disney’s latest release. Its international box office success comes because of the lack of qualified competition. WithSonic the Hedgehog 3debuting next week in more countries, it will no longer be able to sit back and usher in audiences freely.Mufasacost $200 million, soit will need approximately $500 million to break evenafter theaters and marketing budgets take their cuts. Achieving $500 million could be a challenge. If it does not achieve that mark, it will be the first theatrical disappointment inLion Kinghistory:
$424 million
$1.6 million
$988 million
$544 million
$192 million
$1.66 billion
$35 million (so far)
$35 million
$122.2 million (so far)
IftheLion Kingprequelis going to earn a profit,it will likely need a long run. The previous live-actionLion Kingearned $192 million in its opening weekend, and it enjoyed a long run and $1.66 billion worldwide. The original 1994 version earned just $1.6 million in a slow opening weekend, but it exploded in week 2 with a $40.9 million take. Its run continued from June 1994 to March 1995, before enjoying routine re-releases. Knowing that, even a slow start does not mean that profitability is out of the picture for aLion Kingmovie.
The Milestone Is Nice, But This Is Worrying
Image via Disney
The originalLion Kingmay have had a weak opening weekend, but that was largely due to a limited release. When it opened everywhere, it exploded.Mufasahas not seen those same results. Its studio has had an excellent 2024, andDisney’s upcoming 2025 releasesare poised to see even more success. If this movie does not recover by next weekend, however, it will not be included as one of those successes.Mufasaneeds to gain ground quickly, or it will miss the originalLion King’s numbers even without adjusting for inflation.
Mufasa: The Lion King
Cast
Mufasa: The Lion King explores the origins of the beloved character Mufasa, focusing on his youth as a lost cub who encounters Taka, a royal heir. Their meeting initiates an epic journey of self-discovery and destiny, featuring a group of misfit companions navigating the challenges of their world.
