As the wait continues for Mufasa: The Lion King's Disney+ debut, Disney announced a new event dedicated to The Lion King franchise will soon be available to stream.
Released in theaters on December 20, 2024, Mufasa: The Lion King is both a prequel and a sequel to 2019's live-action The Lion King, revealing Mufasa and Scar's origin story (check out the full Lion King family tree here).
Directed by Barry Jenkins, Disney's Mufasa: The Lion King stars Aaron Pierre, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Seth Rogan, Donald Glover, Beyonce, Blue Ivy Carter, and more.
Disney+ Announces New Lion King Event
Disney announced The Lion King at the Hollywood Bowl is headed to Disney+ on Friday, February 7 in honor of The Lion King's 30th anniversary.
While the event commemorates the 1994 film, "The Lion King at the Hollywood Bowl" will also celebrate the franchise's evolution, including characters and music from the 2019 live-action film and 2024's Mufasa: The Lion King.
Still, The Lion King at the Hollywood Bowl isn't the first Lion King special Disney released on its streaming platform.
Before the 2024 film's theatrical debut, Disney+ added a behind-the-scenes sneak peek titled Mufasa: The Lion King | A Special Look, featuring a conversation with director Barry Jenkins and songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda.
But while Disney+ subscribers have access to the film's unique, as well as the animated and original live-action The Lion King movies, the Mufasa prequel still isn't available to watch at home, nor is it expected to be when The Lion King at the Hollywood Bowl arrives.
When Will Mufasa: The Lion King Stream on Disney+?
While Mufasa: The Lion King arrived in theaters on December 20, just in time for the holidays, the film struggled to compete with Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (did Disney actually block Sonic 3 memes?).
Therefore, financial strategy is expected to play a part when Mufasa becomes available for digital release, with its Disney+ debut date to follow sometime after.
While no official dates have been announced for either release, previous trends and data offer an idea of when to expect Mufasa: The Lion King and can be seen below:
The Little Mermaid:
- Theatrical: May 26, 2023
- Digital: July 25, 2023 (60 days after theatrical)
- Streaming: September 6, 2023 (103 days after theatrical)
Elemental:
- Theatrical: June 16, 2023
- Digital: August 15, 2023 (60 days after theatrical)
- Streaming: September 12, 2023 (89 days after theatrical)
Wish:
- Theatrical: November 22, 2023
- Digital: January 23, 2024 (62 days after theatrical)
- Streaming: April 3, 2024 (134 days after theatrical)
Inside Out 2:
- Theatrical: June 14, 2024
- Digital: August 20, 2024 (67 days after theatrical)
- Streaming: September 25, 2024 (103 days after theatrical)
Since a 60 to 67-day theatrical window appears to be Disney's current pattern, Mufasa: The Lion King will likely become available on digital platforms around Tuesday, February 18.
As for streaming on Disney+, however, Mufasa is expected to utilize that longer 100+ day window similar to The Little Mermaid and Inside Out 2, putting the film's Disney+ premiere date in early April.
Mufasa: The Lion King is playing in theaters; The Lion King at the Hollywood Bowl premieres Friday, February 7 on Disney+.
