The backstory of Mufasa is told in Mufasa: The Lion King Mufasa trailer

Everyone has a past, and Mufasa of The Lion King has his to tell. From his early beginnings to his eventual rise to King of the Pride Lands, Mufasa encountered several obstacles, including meeting his advisor Rafiki for the first time and dealing with his brother, Scar.

Yeah, we all know what happens between Mufasa and Scar later on.

Mufasa: The Lion King will be the prequel to Jon Favreau's 2019 live-action adaptation of The Lion King, and many of the original cast will return to reprise their characters. The newest addition to the roster is Beyoncé's daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, who will portray Simba and Nala's daughter, Kiara.

Then, of course, you have your favorites-Pumbaa, Timon, a glimpse of the hyenas, and Zazu joining in. What's The Lion King without all of these timeless and memorable characters? Aside from the lions' point of view, Pumbaa and Timon delivered humor and edge, which acted like a shield against some of the property's (there are five movies and two animated series) darker elements.

Oscar-winning director Barry Jenkins, best known for his 2017 coming-of-age film Moonlight, has been honed as Mufasa's director. Jenkins masters his unique storytelling by creating a new vision for Mufasa while keeping the spirit of the original 1994 The Lion King alive.

A dazzling and encapsulating all-new soundtrack has been added, and this time, Disney recruited Encanto's composer, Lin-Manuel Miranda, for the musical journey. Per a statement that FanSided has obtained, Miranda expresses his excitement for becoming a part of one of Disney's most legendary and prolific works.

"Elton John. Tim Rice. Hans Zimmer. Lebo M. Mark Mancina. Beyoncé, Labrinth, Ilya Salmanzadeh. Beau Black, Ford Riley, the incredible music team on ‘The Lion Guard,’ and so many musical contributors over the years. The Lion King has an incredible musical legacy with music from some of the greatest songwriters around, and I’m humbled and proud to be a part of it. It’s been a joy working alongside Barry Jenkins to bring Mufasa’s story to life, and we can’t wait for audiences to experience this film in theaters."

Who'll be in Mufasa: The Lion King?

Mufasa has an incredible talent lined up to voice the beloved characters. And while James Earl Jones WILL NOT be returning as Mufasa (one could hope for a cameo), Aaron Pierre will become the King this time around.

Mufasa: The Lion King cast

Aaron Pierre as Mufasa
Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Taka, aka Scar
Seth Rogen as Pumbaa
Billy Eichner as Timon
John Kani as Rafiki
Kagiso Lediga as young Rafiki
Tiffany Boone as Sarabi
Preston Nyman as Zazu
Mads Mikkelsen as Kiros
Donald Glover as Simba
Beyoncé Knowles-Carter as Nala
Thandiwe Newton as Eshe, Taka's mother and Mufasa's adopted mother
Lennie James as Obasi, Taka's father and Mufasa's adopted father
Keith David as Masego, Mufasa's biological father
Anika Noni Rose as Afia, Mufasa's biological mother
Blue Ivy Carter as Kiara, the daughter of Simba and Nala

In the trailer, which can be watched below, a young lion cub takes Africa by his paws as his "destiny" awaits him.

Mufasa: The Lion King drops in theaters on December 20th.