Mufasa: The Lion Kingtells an original story set inThe Lion Kinguniverse, with the prequel confirming one potential issue that a live-action remake ofThe Lion King 1 1/2would have to face. Despite there being outcry fora remake ofThe Lion King II: Simba’s Prideafter the success of the 2019 remake ofThe Lion King, Disney decided to go in a different direction, instead telling a different story about the origin of Mufasa. However,Mufasa: The Lion Kinghighlighted how a remake ofThe Lion King 1 1/2could work, although not perfectly.
The Lion King 1 1/2is a 2004 direct-to-video midquelset during the events of 1994’sThe Lion King. The film explores what Timon and Pumbaa got up to before the events of the original animated movie, with the film highlighting the duo’s history and fleshing out their storylines.The Lion King 1 1/2is far more focused on comedy than the originalThe Lion King, but the film has become a popular successor to the 1994 classic. Becasue of this, manyThe Lion Kingfans are holding out hopes for aThe Lion King 1 1/2remake, despite it being difficult to pull off.
Timon & Pumbaa Are Proven Unreliable Narrators In Mufasa: The Lion King
They Lie To Kairi About Their Story
AlthoughMufasa: The Lion Kingis a prequel to the 2019 remake, Timon and Pumbaa are prominently featured throughout the film.Mufasa: The Lion Kinguses a framing device in which Timon, Pumbaa, and Rafiki are Simba’s daughter Kairi about how her grandfather became king. While Rafiki’s recounting of events is mostly accurate, due to him being present in the prequel, Timon and Pumbaa’s isn’t. Instead, Timon and Pumbaa are used for comedic relief, with this take on the duo makingThe Lion King 1 1/2difficult.
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One gag inMufasa: The Lion Kingsees Timon and Pumbaa tell Kairi about the events ofThe Lion King, something that she wasn’t alive for. However, instead of saying that Simba threw Scar off of Pride Rock,Timon and Pumbaa say that they did it. Timon and Pumbaa’s comedic lies prove that they are unreliable narrators, with Rafiki constantly having to get the story of Mufasa back on track after they derail it. While this is funny, it could end up hurting the story ofThe Lion King 1 1/2.
Timon & Pumbaa’s Storytelling History Would Make A Prequel About Them More Difficult To Believe
Since They Narrate The Film
In the world of the live-actionThe Lion Kinguniverse, audience members have had their expectations set that Timon and Pumbaa are unreliable narrators. Because of this, it will be incredibly hard to believe that the events shown in aThe Lion King 1 1/2remake are actually true, since the story is being told by them. This could be made even more explicit than the original midquel if aThe Lion King 1 1/2remake uses theframing device seen inMufasa: The Lion King, with the duo telling their story to Kairi.
On top of that,The Lion King 1 1/2features things like fourth wall breaks, making things even more confusing. AlthoughThe Lion King 1 1/2is meant to be comedic, this unreliable narrator problem could make it near impossible to tell what is canon and what is a comedic bit, confusing fans of the franchise.
How A Live-Action The Lion King 1 1/2 Can Avoid Its Timon & Pumbaa Narrator Problem
There Are Two Great Options
Although the reliability of Timon and Pumbaa is a problem, a live-action remake ofThe Lion King 1 1/2could fix this issue in two ways. Firstly, if the remake wants to stick to the framing device ofMufasa: The Lion King, it could simply have Timon and Pumbaa not tell the story.Rafiki could narrate it again, Simba could be involved, or another character from Timon and Pumbaa’s past could appear to recount the story. All of these would fix this issue, as the audience wouldn’t have to question the narrator’s reliability.
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Another option is that theThe Lion King 1 1/2remake doesn’t have to utilize this framing device. The film could simply be a regular prequel, with it not using a narration from Timon, Pumbaa, or any of the other characters. Taking this more straightforward approach would be the simplest way to avoid this issue, with it being the best way to remakeThe Lion King 1 1/2afterMufasa: The Lion King.
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.
