Lin-Manuel Miranda Recalls Being ‘Blown Away’ by 1994’s ‘The Lion King’ Ahead of ‘Mufasa’ Digital Release

Mufasa: The Lion King is set to hit digital retailers this month, and to celebrate all the bonus content that will become available for fans to enjoy, Billboard is sharing an exclusive clip that finds two of the creative forces behind the live-action musical reminiscing on their early Lion King memories.

In the clip, songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda and director Barry Jenkins discuss their first memories watching The Lion King, which hit theaters in June 1994. “I saw it on a half-day from school, I was in eighth grade in 1994,” Miranda recalls of the beloved animated Disney film. “I went to see it with two friends and I just was blown away. It has this incredible score, this story that feels both completely fresh but also biblical and Shakespearean. I was just blown away by it, as pretty much everyone on Earth was.”

Jenkins agreed, recalling his first time watching The Lion King was on VHS while babysitting his nephews at 14 years old. “I remember thinking that there was something really profound and powerful about the animation. It always stuck with me. It’s a hell of a legacy to step into.”

In addition to the featurette, the Mufasa: The Lion King bonus content includes a full-length sing-along version of the film, a deep dive into the making of the movie and its music, Timon and Pumbaa sharing some fun facts and hidden references, recording booth outtakes, deleted scenes, a music video for “I Always Wanted a Brother” and more.

The film, which arrived 30 years after the original, features Rafiki, Timon and Pumbaa sharing the legend of Mufasa to young lion cub Kiara, daughter of Simba and Nala. Mufasa: The Lion King arrives to digital retailers (Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV and Fandango at Home) on Feb. 18 and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD on April 1.