Fact Check: Is the live-action ‘Mufasa: The Lion King 2’ trailer real? Viral YouTube clip debunked

On December 23, 2023, a YouTube channel, @FoxStarMedia, released a video that appeared to be the trailer for the second installment of Disney's The Lion King. As of this writing, it has received more than 1,026,971 views. The trailer claimed that the movie will be called Mufasa and will be out in 2024. However, it looks like the trailer was made entirely by AI.

In fact, the channel itself has mentioned in the comments that it is a fan-made trailer.

The comment has already mentioned that it is not real (Image via YouTube/Foxstar Media)

Therefore, it is clear that the trailer is completely fake and has not been created by Disney. However, the news of the movie is not a hoax, as there will be a movie of the same name.

As per Screenrant, Disney has formally announced Mufasa: The Lion King as a live-action prequel that delves into Mufasa's past. The movie will also involve his relationship with Scar and his ascent to the throne.

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No official trailer of Mufasa: The Lion King 2 has been released by Disney

Recently, Fox Star Media, a YouTube channel, uploaded a clip that seemed like the trailer for the upcoming Disney movie MUFASA: The Lion King 2. The clip is of 1 minute 50 seconds. The clip's title reads MUFASA: The Lion King 2 – Full Teaser Trailer – Live-Action Movie – Disney Studio.

The description of the video reads,

“Watch the magic come to life in the captivating teaser trailer for the Lion the King 2 Live Action movie! Anticipated for a 2024 release. Mufasa: The Lion King" is an upcoming musical drama film from the United States..."

It further claims,

"Helmed by director Barry Jenkins, scripted by Jeff Nathanson, and produced in collaboration between Walt Disney Pictures and Pastel Productions. MUFASA: The Lion King 2 – Full Teaser Trailer – Live-Action Movie – Disney Studio”.

In the description of the live-action movie’s trailer, Fox Star Media, which has already released fan-made trailers of A Quiet Place: Part III and a live-action Moana, stated that it is “copyright protected.”

At first glance, the trailer is visually enticing. It opens with a lion cub, presumably Simba, asking a male lion, “Dad, how you became a king”? The sentence itself is grammatically incorrect. The father lion, presumably Mufasa, responded with a similarly poorly constructed statement before starting a story. The two lions then engaged in discussion, with Simba asking questions and Mufasa responding.

A tiger seems to have a significant role in the rumored part two. However, tigers are not indigenous to Africa, the place where The Lion King is set. It is, therefore, obvious that the trailer is a hoax.

Had it been an actual trailer for The Lion King’s live-action sequel, it would have been accessible on the official YouTube channel of Disney+. But, as of yet, no such news has been available from Disney.

There is an upcoming movie named Mufasa: The Lion King, which Disney has officially confirmed. As per Screenrant, the film is scheduled for release on December 20, 2024. Furthermore, a theatrical release of the same is anticipated. However, confirmation of this has not yet been given by the company.

According to IMDb, the official plot of the movie reads,

“Simba, having become king of the Pride Lands, is determined for his cub to follow in his paw prints while the origins of his late father Mufasa are explored”.

Besides Fox Star Media, other YouTube channels like KH Studio and NICK VERMA have also released fictitious trailers for the Mufasa movie.

Recently, TikTok user Tony Aubé (@tony.aube) posted a fictitious trailer showing a Pixar adaptation of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. The trailer showed exaggerated Pixar-style renditions of Harry Potter and other characters, alternating between ten distinct animations as ‘Hedwig’s Theme’ played in the background.