Disney’sMufasa: The Lion Kinghad a strong box office run at the end of 2024; just four months later,Snow White’s box office failure highlights just how impressiveMufasa’s success was.Mufasa: The Lion Kingserves as a prequel to the events ofThe Lion King, detailing how Mufasa came to rule over the Pride Lands. The new installment in theLion Kingfranchise brings back beloved characters while telling a creative new story, and byMufasa’s ending, audiences understand Mufasa and Scar in a new light, while the movie teases potential future stories through Kiara.
The Lion Kingfranchise as a whole is incredibly loved by Disney fans, andthe fact that bothMufasaand its 2019 predecessor have been successful retellings proves that Disney’s live-action remakes can be lucrative when done right.At the time of writing,Mufasahas grossed $721.6 million worldwide, more than making back its $200 million budget (viaBox Office Mojo). This box office total also puts it safely on the list ofhighest-grossing movies of 2024, highlighting just how much better the movie was received than Disney’s recent remake attempt withSnow White.
Snow White Bested Mufasa For Just 4 Days
Mufasareceived its wide release alongsideSonic the Hedgehog 3on August 09, 2025, and came in second of the two during its opening weekend. Going into the holidays,Mufasawas initially expected to gross $50 million during its opening weekend, which was later lowered to $36 to 38 million (viaDeadline).Mufasaultimately ended up opening at $35.4 million. The movie received mixed reviews and projections did not look great in its initial days, but it went on to be far more successful than anyone predicted.
$200 million
$35.4 million
$721.6 million
$240-270 million
$42.2 million
$168.6 million
In contrast,Snow White, which struggled to overcome controversyleading up to its release, actually had a better opening weekend. The film was initially predicted to gross $63 to 70 million in its opening weekend, which (likeMufasa) was later lowered to $45 to 55 million (viaDeadline).Snow Whitemanaged to gross $42.2 million in its first weekendand topped the box office, but it fell off sharply during its second weekend.
How Mufasa: The Lion King Still Became A Box Office Success
Mufasa Maintained Its Popularity Well
Mufasahaving a worse opening weekend thanSnow Whiteis incredibly unusual given how successful it later became, especially whenSnow Whitewill certainly not be able to follow its lead.WhileMufasadid not fare too well during its opening weekend, the movie did have great legsthat allowed it to retain its popularity. It was a holiday release that was family-friendly, and, importantly, it got a lot of good press from social media where the movie’s new songs and story gained attention.
Disney’s Follow-Up Movie To The Lion King’s 2019 Live-Action Remake Is Now Streaming, 3 Months After Making $719 Million In Theaters
After its very successful box office run, Mufasa: The Lion King has finally arrived on streaming, joining the previous The Lion King film on Disney+.
Compared to other movies with similar opening weekends,Mufasais far above what would typically be expected, whileSnow Whitehas fallen slightly below.Mufasagrossed more domestically by its third week thanSnow Whitehas currently, but the biggest difference is how well the two have done globally. Internationally,Mufasaearned $466.2 million during its theatrical run, whereasSnow Whitehas only grossed $91.3 million so far (viaThe Numbers). Thus, it seems audiences both in the U.S. and abroad favoredMufasa: The Lion King,leavingSnow Whitefar behind.
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.
Snow White
A live-action adaptation of the classic fairy tale. The film follows Snow White as she escapes into the forest and seeks refuge with seven dwarfs to elude her jealous stepmother, the wicked Queen, who is threatened by Snow White’s surpassing beauty.
