December 20, 2024
Worthwhile — caution advised for young children.
Released
December 20, 2024
Director
Barry Jenkins
Cast
Aaron Pierre, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Tiffany Boone, Donald Glover, Mads Mikkelsen, and Seth Rogen
Directed by Barry Jenkins, rated PG, released December 20, 2024. Explores the unlikely rise of the beloved king of the Pride Lands, Mufasa.
Starring Aaron Pierre, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Tiffany Boone, Donald Glover, Mads Mikkelsen, among others.
An origin of leadership through found family, courage, and the stories we tell about ourselves.
Reviews are more mixed (57% Tomatometer), though many viewers still find things to like (88% audience score). IMDb users rate it about 6.7/10.
Pair the scores with the MovieGuide content breakdown and the source reviews linked on this page to decide if it fits your night in.
An origin of leadership through found family, courage, and the stories we tell about ourselves.
Summaries based on each site's scores and typical coverage — open the source for full reviews.
Family content & quality
Entertainment quality ★★★☆ (3/4). Family content +1 — worthwhile with caution for young children. Expect an uplifting or heartfelt core with moderate elements—peril, mild language, or thematic notes—worth previewing for younger kids.
Critics & audience
At 57% on the Tomatometer, critical consensus is mixed-to-cool, with reviews split on tone, script, or originality. Audiences largely leave satisfied (88% Popcornmeter). Open the full page for critic and audience quotes.
User scores & reviews
Users place it around 6.7/10, reflecting middling-to-positive broad-audience regard. Reviews there usually dig into performances, emotional payoff, pacing, and genre expectations—a useful counterweight to professional critics. Open the score above to read the full conversation.
