Mufasa Actor Demands Timon & Pumbaa Spinoff Show
- Mufasa: The Lion King actor is not ready to let go of his character as Timon any time soon.
- Timon actor Billy Eichner is asking for a Timon and Pumbaa spinoff show upfront.
- Aaron Pierre who voices Mufasa in the upcoming musical said James Earl Jones is an inspiration.
It is a good time to be a fan of The Lion King as the sequel and prequel to it, titled Mufasa is set to be released soon. This musical drama film is set after the events of The Lion King and explores the origin story of Mufasa and Taka. A mandrill named Rafiki tells the story to Kiara, Mufasa’s granddaughter and daughter of Simba and Nala.
Timon the meerkat and Pumbaa the warthog help Rafiki tell the story by adding their own playful remarks. The snarky meerkat, Timon is voiced by Billy Eichner in the movie, and during a recent interview where he was promoting the upcoming film, he demanded a spinoff show for Timon and Pumbaa.
Mufasa: The Lion King Actor Billy Eichner Is Eager to Star in a Timon and Pumbaa Spinoff Series
This year has been great for animated movies. From Kung Fu Panda 4 to Inside Out 2, animated movies have stolen the fans’ hearts all year long and most of them have also done very well at the box office. Even Moana 2, released late last month, has emerged as a hit, and now Mufasa, which is photorealistically animated, is gearing up to rule the theaters.
The upcoming The Lion King prequel will see Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner, and John Kani reprise their characters. Other actors joining the cast are Aaron Pierre, Thandiwe Newton, and Tiffany Boone among others. The movie, directed by Barry Jenkins, is bound to be a visual feast.
The movie is yet to be released, but Eichner already has ideas for a spinoff featuring his character Timon and his companion, Seth Rogen’s Pumbaa. In a recent interview with ComicBook, he said:
I want a musical – why stop at shorts? I love playing Timon, and I love working with Seth Rogen. I would do anything with Seth and these characters. It’s so fun to work with him, and when we’re in the studio it doesn’t feel that different than working on a more traditional live-action movie.
In fact, Eichner is open to doing anything as long as he gets to play Timon. He made as much clear when he said that he hoped that Mufasa could get a proper animated remake which is more like the 1994 Lion King movie as long as they rang him up to reprise as Timon.
Aaron Pierre Honors Original Lion King Actor James Earl Jones
In the 1994 Lion King movie, late actor James Earl Jones voiced the character of Mufasa. Three decades later, Aaron Pierre will be playing a younger version of the character and he has honored Jones by revealing just how much he owes to the Academy Honorary Award winner for shaping his own portrayal.
In an interview with GamesRadar, Pierre openly expressed his appreciation for Jones and his iconic voice performance.
James Earl Jones is a hero of mine, and a hero of many. He was one of my greatest inspirations, from his stage work to his extensive filmography, to his voice work. He’s timeless. We celebrate him. We champion him. And he’ll be greatly missed. In regards to this, his portrayal of Mufasa was my guiding light, actually. It gave me clarity. It gave me direction. It gave me insight.
The Rebel Ridge actor also said that his biggest challenge was to channel a younger version of Mufasa who is wise and understanding while also possesses an abundance of perspective. He also expressed gratitude towards director Jenkins for his guidance in doing so.
Mufasa: The Lion King will be in theaters on December 20, 2024.
