Disney has added another film to their most successful franchise, The Lion King – this time following Mufasa’s journey from a cub to becoming the king of Pride Rock.

Inspired by the 1994 animation, the latest addition is a live-action feature and is directed by Moonlight filmmaker Barry Jenkins.

Before heading to your nearest cinema, here are six things you need to know about the film and don’t worry, there are no spoilers.

What is Mufasa: The Lion King about?

Mufasa is synonymous with one of the most heart-breaking moments of any Disney film but apart from being Simba’s dad and Scar’s brother, there’s little fans know about him.

In this prequel film, we follow Mufasa as a young cub who gets lost and meets a sympathetic lion cub, and heir to a royal bloodline, named Taka.

This meeting sets the wheels in motion for the future king, and we go on his journey to meet his soon-to-be wife Sarabi and friends.

Do I need to watch The Lion King to understand Mufasa: The Lion King?

Not necessarily but it is a major reference point throughout the film.

In the new live-action sequel, we met some of the “great kings of the past” first mentioned in the 1994 original.

The story is told through flashbacks as Rafiki tells Simba’s daughter Kiara about the “circle of life” and why it’s important to “remember who you are”.

The choice to do so makes it easier for young minds to follow along but if you want the full experience and to understand the non-stop references to the original, re-watching either the animation, 2019 live-action film or the musical would be a good idea.

Tiffany Boone, who voices a young Sarabi (Simba’s mum), says her opinion on Scar has slightly changed after being part of the new movie.

She tells Sky News: “I think I empathise with Scar a lot more than I did before. I’m not saying he’s right to do what he did in the original version but you understand how the relationship between Mufasa and Scar got to the point where it’s so contentious and so I now have a little bit of a softer spot in my heart for Scar.”

Who stars in Mufasa: The Lion King?

Mufasa: The Lion King is led by Croydon actor Aaron Pierre, who has previously starred in Rebel Ridge as well as Genius and Foe.

He says stepping into the role of Mufasa has been a “huge honour” and hopes he does James Earl Jones justice as the younger version of his character.

The actor posed for photos on Pride Rock at the UK premiere – a moment he says he won’t forget.

“That was really special. The London premiere was just so beautiful. London showed up and with all of the beautiful energy and they celebrated, and they just poured love into that evening.”

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Taka is played by Kelvin Harrison Jr and a young Sarabi is voiced by Tiffany Boone.

While the daughter of Beyonce and Jay-Z, Blue Ivy Carter, voices Kiara, the daughter of King Simba.

Other voices include Mads Mikkelsen as Kiros, Kagiso Lediga as a young Rafiki and Preston Nyman as a young Zazu.

In order to set up the film as a flashback, the 2019 voices return briefly – Donald Glover, Beyonce Knowles-Carter, John Kani, John Oliver, Seth Rogan and Billy Eichner.

Is James Earl Jones in Mufasa: The Lion King?

Seen as a father figure by many, the death of James Earl Jones marked a sad day for movie fans all over the world.

The Star Wars actor originated the strong, stoic voice of Mufasa in the 1994 animation and reprised the role for the 2019 live-action remake.

Jenkins made the decision to dedicate the entire film to the star and his voice briefly appears as a somewhat ‘voice of God’ at the beginning of the new film.

Opening with a black screen, you hear Jones’s voice uttering his advice to Simba: “Look at the stars. The great kings of the past look down on us from those stars. So, whenever you feel alone, just remember that those kings will always be there to guide you. And so will I.”

Is it safe for children to watch Mufasa: The Lion King?

The film has received a PG rating in the UK so it is safe for everyone to watch.

However, much like the original, it is worth approaching with caution as there’s a scene or two that might be a bit scary and/or emotional for younger viewers.

Who made the music for Mufasa: The Lion King?

The musical man of the moment – Lin-Manuel Miranda – is responsible for the soundtrack to Mufasa: The Lion King.

Jenkins says watching him work taught him so much as a creative person.

“Typically, in a musical, the songs come first and the movie folds around it. But in this case, because Lin was so busy directing Tick Tick Boom and working on Encanto so we got started before he came in and it was really wonderful to see him look at the script and sort of diagnose where songs could elevate the narrative rather than just distract from it,” says Jenkins.

“And the song I Always Wanted A Brother was a great example. Lin watched a very early animatic and right away identified that’s the song [for this section], and it’s one of my favourite pieces in the film.”

Mufasa: The Lion King is in cinemas now.

When a chatty little girl visited Father Christmas, the last thing Paul Haslam expected to be on her wish list was a boob job.

“They were two sisters, about two and five, and the older one was doing all the talking,” the professional Santa Claus tells Sky News.

A Barbie dreamhouse, some Teletubbies toys and sweets were all on the five-year-old’s Christmas list.

“I said to her, ‘Thank you, is that all?’ And she thought for a moment and went: ‘Mummy wants a boob job’,” he says, laughing.

“You should have seen the dad’s face.”

Paul has been working as Santa for 16 years, a side hustle he started after spotting a poster in his local garden centre recruiting a “tubby guy to come work for us in four weeks in December”.

“I thought it sounded like a laugh,” he says. “The first time I did it I was absolutely hooked.

“I was in the grotto for eight hours and when I came out, I said to the guy in charge, ‘that was so much fun, I should be paying you’.”

‘The sack didn’t open’

His career as Mr Claus has even taken him to the stage with Mariah Carey.

“I got a call asking what I was doing the next day, and was told Mariah was performing in Manchester and her Santa had let her down.

“The proviso was, make sure you’ve got your sack – they’re going to fill it with cuddly toys and you and Mariah will throw them into the crowd.”

But when the big moment came, the sack didn’t open.

“The guy who had tightened it was her bodyguard, he was huge, and it took us ages to get it open.”

‘Sausage factories’

Gary Cordes, a former solicitor, also took up being a Santa as a fun way to fill retirement.

He too started out in garden centres, but says the heavy footfall venues are just “sausage factories”.

“It is about people being pushed through, no time to talk to the children,” he says.

“In one, I was stuck in this windowless room for nine hours and was absolutely wrecked by the end of it. I want to engage with the families, actually have time with them.”

Similarly, Paul says he once worked in a venue that told him he had to get each family in and out in 30 seconds.

“They just wanted to take people’s money and get them out.”

Gary now works at larger venues, including recently at the O2 Arena during Disney On Ice, as well as working corporate events.

“I love to interact with the kids, I try and move around the room or sit on the floor in front of the fireplace. They don’t often expect Santa to move around,” he says.

‘My son thinks I am helping Santa’

Simon Young is young in every sense – at 37, he’s on the lower end of the age scale to work as a Santa. But when their existing Santa dropped out two years ago at Reuthe’s The Lost Garden Of Sevenoaks, he agreed to be a last-minute replacement.

“Because Santa is usually quite old, as you go into winter that can be quite unreliable with dropping out because of flu, or illness, and that’s what happened to us. We had three days to find someone.”

Simon has five children, aged from six to 16, and his youngest still believes in Father Christmas

“He knows I am Santa but thinks that the real Santa asked me for help to see the children here. He thinks the real Santa comes to see me, drops off loads of presents and I then give them out to other children.”

Recently, his youngest son came home saying a fellow pupil on the playground had told him Santa wasn’t real.

His seven-year-old was quick to reassure his brother, telling him the child at his school was being stupid, “because where else did presents come from, does he think parents just buy them?”

Hilarious to heartbreaking

Not every child enjoys their visit to Santa, says Gary.

“If they’re not old enough, sometimes they just scream because they are scared,” he says. “So, I just say to the parents, we will have a good chat next year. I don’t want them to have a bad experience.”

They can sometimes come in with a big, long list, and Simon says he will look to the parents: “But I never commit to anything.”

Simon is a former member of the Royal Navy who served during the Gulf War, but says this job is “higher pressure”.

“There is so much weight attached to it, you don’t want to say the wrong thing and ruin someone’s Christmas,” he says.

And not every request a child has is one that’s easy to be filled.

“My first year, second day, I had a little girl who said she didn’t want her terminally ill dad to die,” says Simon. “She had been looking forward to coming to see Santa so she could ask him that.”

Paul grows emotional when he talks about similar experiences.

“I have had children ask if grandma or grandpa can come visit them again,” he says.

“I hold my hand up to them – we aren’t allowed to hug them – and I say that’s not in my bit of magic. My bit of magic is different. But I’ll tell you what, when I get back, if I can find them I will have a word and I’ll tell them you still love them.

“That’s the best I can do.”

The cost of Santa’s beard

Being a Santa is not going to make you rich, especially not when you invest in your own costume, says Paul.

His beard is made from the belly hair of a yak and cost him £650.

“I spent a week’s wages on a wig and beard,” he says. “But you don’t do it for the money.”

And while some opportunities can be lucrative – Gary was offered a stint at Lapland for £1,500 a week – Paul has heard of companies abroad offering just £50 a day to Santa and his elves.

“I also did an event with a reindeer – the reindeer got paid more than I did,” Paul says.

“You’ve got to love the job, you don’t do it for the money.”

Roxy Horner has confirmed her engagement to comedian Jack Whitehall, sharing footage and pictures of her ring.

The model welcomed her first child with Whitehall last year.

In a post on Instagram, she flashed her ring in several clips with her new fiance in a video montage.

The 33-year-old said: “How could I fit in a whole year of highlights in one video?

“Here is a snippet of the last 2 magical months of 2024, feeling utterly blessed”.

Whitehall commented on the video saying “my love” with heart emojis.

He also reposted on his Instagram a picture where she calls him the “best fiance in the world”.

The couple began dating in early 2020.

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Whitehall commented on their relationship a year later when Horner discovered she had type 1 diabetes after she collapsed at the Brit Awards.