Mufasa: The Lion King & Moana 2 bring magic to Disney’s animation presentation at CinemaCon

Disney dazzles the audience at CinemaCon in Las Vegas with new footage from Mufasa: The Lion King and Moana 2.

Disney’s presentation at CinemaCon made sure to carve out some time to focus on their upcoming animated movies. We’ve already covered Inside Out 2, but CinemaCon audiences were also treated to teasers for Mufasa: The Lion King and Moana 2.

Director Barry Jenkins took the stage to promote the Lion King prequel, adding that he had seen the original Disney animated movie over 200 times and knew he had to take the gig. “When the script came to me I was fascinated by watching these complex people dealing with complex emotions…this film explores Mufasa rise to become the heroic king that we know,” Jenkins said.

Jenkins wanted to make a movie that tackled the same issues as the first, hoping that it would help a new generation of children become who they really are. The teaser trailer for Mufasa: The Lion King then began with those iconic notes from Circle of Life before zipping around many different parts of Africa as a young Mufasa runs free and gets into trouble, just like his future offspring. In a voiceover, Rifiki says, “This is the story of a lion who is born without a drop of nobility in his blood.” According to our own Chris Bumbray, the animation is even more impressive than Jon Favreau’s movie with some huge set pieces.

Next up was Moana 2, which was introduced by none other than Dwayne Johnson, flanked by a group of Polynesian dancers. “It’s so much deeper of a movie to me, and it’s so much deeper of a movie to Disney as well,” Johnson said. “We are so excited to welcome back audiences all over the world to a new adventure.” Johnson then played a clip from the sequel, which finds Moana returning to her home island and the debut of a brand-new song, “We’re Back.” At least one character isn’t big on belting out the tune, as they ask “Do we have to sing?” To which everyone responds, “Yes, we have to sing!“

“Walt Disney Animation Studios’ epic animated musical Moana 2 takes audiences on an expansive new voyage with Moana, Maui and a brand-new crew of unlikely seafarers,” reads the official description. “After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced.“

Moana 2 will hit theaters on November 27th, followed by Mufasa: The Lion King on December 20th.

About the Author

Born and raised in New York, then immigrated to Canada, Steve Seigh has been a JoBlo.com editor, columnist, and critic since 2012. He started with Ink & Pixel, a column celebrating the magic and evolution of animation, before launching the companion YouTube series Animation Movies Revisited. He’s also the host of the Talking Comics Podcast, a personality-driven audio show focusing on comic books, film, music, and more. You’ll rarely catch him without headphones on his head and pancakes on his breath.