By Lisa Respers France, CNN
(CNN) — The teaser trailer for “Mufasa: The Lion King” dropped Monday, and who is in it is as exciting for many as what it is.
The photorealistic-animated prequel to the hit 1994 film “The Lion King” brings back several of the stars of the 2019 Jon Favreau-directed remake of the original, including John Kani as Rafiki, Seth Rogen as Pumbaa, Billy Eichner as Timon, Donald Glover as Simba and Beyoncé Knowles-Carter as Nala.
Another member of the Carter family also stars in the new film as Beyoncé’s 12-year-old daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, voices Kiara, the daughter of King Simba and Queen Nala.
The trailer begins with a voiceover from Rafiki.
“This story begins far beyond the mountains and the shadows, on the other side of the light,” the voiceover states. “A lion was born without a drop of nobility in his blood. A lion who would change our lives forever.”
The audience then meets a young Mufasa, who was portrayed as an adult and voiced by James Earl Jones in the original animated film.
“’Mufasa: The Lion King’ enlists Rafiki to relay the legend of Mufasa to young lion cub Kiara, daughter of Simba and Nala, with Timon and Pumbaa lending their signature schtick,” a caption for the teaser states.
“Told in flashbacks, the story introduces Mufasa as an orphaned cub, lost and alone until he meets a sympathetic lion named Taka—the heir to a royal bloodline,” the caption continues. “The chance meeting sets in motion an expansive journey of an extraordinary group of misfits searching for their destiny—their bonds will be tested as they work together to evade a threatening and deadly foe.”
The new film is directed by Barry Jenkins and also stars Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Taka, Thandiwe Newton as Taka’s mother, Eshe, Anika Noni Rose as Mufasa’s mother, Afia and Keith David as Mufasa’s father, Masego.
The movie hits theaters December 20.
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