Mufasa: The Lion King explores the тιтular character’s origins, but also notably settles a three-decade-old debate. Mufasa was one of the most anticipated releases of 2024 and serves as a prequel to the beloved 1994 film. While providing insight into the events of the first film, Mufasa confirms exactly where The Lion King takes place in Africa. One of the most significant revelations during the film’s runtime is the confirmation that Milele and the Pride Lands are in Kenya, on the eastern coast of Africa. Considering the cub’s continental trek in Mufasa, it seems the ideal narrative backdrop for this long-awaited confirmation.
The location of The Lion King has always been an important element in each film, with many speculating that the extensive depictions of Pride Rock, and many other iconic landmarks, could be located in Tanzania. However, the bonus features of the movie on Mufasa‘s digital release provide far more details about the cub’s journey throughout Africa. With so many significant landmarks scattered throughout, such as Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, it only serves to question why it took the creators so long to tie up a major loose end for the franchise.
The Lion King’s Setting Debate Was An Unnecessary Loose End For The Franchise
It Should Not Have Taken 31 Years To Confirm The Location Of The Lion King
It is difficult to understand why it has taken so long for Disney to confirm the setting of The Lion King. Of course, the story of the animal kingdom is fictional, but given that the location is the central premise of each film, it should have been easy to confirm The Lion King‘s real setting. The original film was released 31 years ago, with the franchise remaining active over three decades, which is more than enough time to confirm that the story takes place in Kenya, not Tanzania. This led to a lot of speculation and conflicting interpretations.
With that in mind, the lack of clarity behind the film’s location means that there has always been an increased risk of the film perpetuating inaccurate depictions of Africa. The discussions about the location of The Lion King have often distracted from the core narrative, making it feel far less grounded and realistic. It is a common occurrence for people to reduce Africa to one singular place. In actuality, it is extremely diverse, and so cementing this setting allows for a more focused cinematic experience.
Mufasa Confirming The Franchise’s Setting Can Allow For Greater Exploration Of Africa Going Forward
The Lion King’s Future Is Bright Now That It Can Expand On The Location
However, now that Mufasa has confirmed the location of the iconic films, the franchise can better explore this locale and its surrounding areas. Before now, the movies have been fairly limited in what they have or haven’t shown of the environment. The confirmation of its African heritage opens up many exciting possibilities for the future of The Lion King franchise, which can now incorporate many landmarks without any resistance. Given the franchise’s gradual inclination towards live-action, the inclusion of such landmarks will also help to create a much stronger sense of realism.
Knowing the precise locations allows the studio to draw inspiration from the diverse ecosystems and cultures, which creates a wider range of stories, maybe even drawing on different animal behaviors.
Mufasa: The Lion King explores plenty of ground, seeing the inclusion of Namibia, where Mufasa is born, and Botswana, where he is swept away as a cub, lost in a flood. Meeting his brother, Taka, they explore the grounds of Zambia and Zimbabwe before they ultimately reach Tanzania. Even with the film’s extensive coverage, there is still much more of the continent that subsequent films could showcase. Knowing the precise locations allows the studio to draw inspiration from the diverse ecosystems and cultures, which creates a wider range of stories, maybe even drawing on different animal behaviors.
