SPOILER WARNING: This story discusses plot details for “Mufasa: The Lion King,” in theaters on Dec. 20.
Lin-Manuel Miranda knows his way around a Disney tune.
After winning Grammys and earning Oscar nods for his “Moana” and “Encanto” songs (including “How Far I’ll Go,” “Dos Oruguitas” and, of course, the viral earworm “We Don’t Talk About Bruno”), Miranda teamed up with famed composer Alan Menken to contribute to the soundtrack for 2023’s live-action “The Little Mermaid.” Now, he’s written a half-dozen new songs for the Barry Jenkins-directed “Lion King” prequel “Mufasa.” Because Miranda is well-versed in all things Magic Kingdom, there’s perhaps no one better prepared to continue the musical legacy of “The Lion King.” The original 1994 film has such memorable hits as “Circle of Life,” “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King,” “Hakuna Matata” and “Can You Feel the Love Tonight.”
“That original album is like an all-bangers, no skips album,” Miranda said, with obvious reverence for the Elton John and Tim Rice-written tracks, during a recent visit to “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.”
The “Mufasa” soundtrack kicks off with “Ngomso,” performed by Lebo M, the South African artists whose distinctive vocals are synonymous with “The Lion King,” followed Miranda’s songs performed by the film’s voice cast, led by Aaron Pierre (as a young Mufasa) and Kelvin Harrison Jr. (as his adopted brother Taka, who will be known as Scar).
Miranda has said his kids — sons Sebastian and Francisco — are beta testers for a song’s success. So which songs are they singing nonstop?
“’I Always Wanted a Brother,’” Miranda tells Variety, with no hesitation. “’Bye Bye’ is another bop in the Miranda household.”
The former is one of the first tracks Miranda wrote for the film, inspired by a line of dialogue in Jeff Nathanson’s script — when Taka, who is heir to a royal bloodline, rescues Mufasa, who was separated from his family in a tragic accident.
“I went, ‘That is the title of the song,’” Miranda says of the number. And things flowed naturally from there: “I really didn’t have to look much farther than my own house — I have two little boys; they’re 6 and 10 years old. They drive each other insane, and they also protect and stand up for each other. Getting to write about that kind of relationship came naturally.”
The latter track is the film’s villain anthem, written for Kiros, a fearsome lion voiced by Mads Mikkelsen. The script didn’t originally call for a solo, but Miranda felt the opportunity to get an iconic Bond villain singing a dancehall-tinged track was too good to pass up.
“I know that sounds like peanut butter and pickles, but I think they’re two great tastes that taste great together,” Miranda says, recounting his (successful) pitch to Jenkins.
Read on as Miranda, Jenkins and the “Mufasa” cast discuss the film’s soundtrack.
Performed by Braelyn Rankins, Theo Somulo, Aaron Pierre and Kelvin Harrison, Jr.
BARRY JENKINS: “I Always Wanted a Brother” was the first song that we made. That song is where Taka and Mufasa fall in love. They grow this deep bond, then they grow up, but they also express their world view. It’s a high-wire act to pull off, and I was excited to see Lin tackle it.
LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA: That song has got to do so much work, right? It’s got to set up the relationship between the brothers when they’re very young [Rankins and Somolu voice Young Mufasa and Young Taka, respectively]. I said, Barry, “Let me time jump them,” and we meet the lions we’re going to be with the rest of the film.