Since the original Disney movie was released in 1994,The Lion Kinghas become a much bigger franchise, with two modern CGI adaptations.It is a well-known fact thatThe Lion Kingis based on the story ofHamlet- the young son of a king goes on a journey of self-discovery after his father is murdered by his power-hungry uncle. Naturally, there are plenty ofsimilarities betweenHamletandThe Lion King, some of which can also be found in the sequels and evenMufasa: The Lion King.
The Lion Kingto the Oscars, with both the 1994 original and the 2019 remake nominated for Academy Awards. Despite the success and cultural impact of the 1994 film, there are a fewharsh realities when rewatchingThe Lion King. AlthoughThe Lion Kingwas obviously never meant to be a faithful adaptation of the William Shakespeare playHamlet, as the movie was merely inspired by the famous tragedy, there is one thing that could have been changed to suit the source material.Mufasa should have told Simba that Scar killed him when he returned as a ghostinThe Lion King.
Mufasa Doesn’t Tell Simba Scar Killed Him — The Ghost In Hamlet Reveals He Was Murdered By His Brother
The Lion King Copies A Lot From Hamlet, But Emits The Ghost King’s Original Message
When Scar enacts his plan to take over as king of Pride Rock, Simba watches Mufasa fall into the gorge and become trampled by wildebeest, and the devastating scene is one of the most memorable moments inThe Lion King. Unfortunately,despite witnessing Scar at the scene of his father’s death, Simba never realizes that Scar was the one who killed him. From Simba’s perspective, it appeared that his uncle was trying to save his father, as therelationship between Mufasa and Scar inThe Lion Kinghad never really seemed that tumultuous beyond Scar’s petty jealousy of his brother.
It wouldn’t be such a stretch forThe Lion Kingto include a scene where the ghost of Mufasa reveals his killer.
The Lion KingcopiesHamletby having Mufasa return as a ghost later in the story to encourage his son along the correct path. However, one of the main differences between the two stories is thatthe ghost of Hamlet’s father actually reveals that he was murdered by his brother. Even though Scar had meticulously planned the death of the king so thatScar could take over Mufasa’s title inThe Lion King, Mufasa doesn’t reveal that his brother killed him when he returns as a ghost, despite the information being crucial to the movie’s final act.
Mufasa’s Message Is About Destiny While King Hamlet’s Is About Revenge — But Mufasa Still Could Have Told Simba About Scar
The Lion King Was Already Dark Enough Without A Revenge Arc
When Hamlet’s father appears in ghost form, he warns his son that his now-crowned uncle is not to be trusted, having been the cause of his death. This message inspires Hamlet’s mission for the rest of the Shakespeare play, as he eventually kills his uncle in revenge. While this storyline does seem too dark for a children’s movie,The Lion Kingdoes mirrorHamlet’sdark plotline as Simba also kills his unclein an act of revenge. Therefore, it wouldn’t be such a stretch forThe Lion Kingto include a scene where the ghost of Mufasa reveals his killer.
8 Ways Mufasa Changes The Lion King & How You’ll See Mufasa & Scar’s Story
From Mufasa and Scar’s childhood sibling bond to their mutual respect and love for each other, eight ways Mufasa changes The Lion King’s story.
However, the main difference between the ghost scenes inHamletandThe Lion Kingis thatwhileHamletis about revenge,The Lion Kingis about destiny. Although telling Simba that Scar was Mufasa’s killer would have saved a lot of heartache, Mufasa’s reappearance aimed to give Simba an inspirational moment fitting of the light-hearted Disney movie. Furthermore, telling his son the truth could have led Simba down a darker path of revenge, andMufasa may have wanted Simba to be a different type of king, which is whyHamlet’sdark revenge arc was missing fromThe Lion Kingmovie.
The Lion King
Cast
Jon Favreau directs this 2019 live-action adaptation of Walt Disney’s popular film, The Lion King. Starring Donald Glover, Alfre Woodard, Seth Rogen, and Chiwetel Ejiofor, this release follows young Simba as he grows up to become a mighty lion and take vengeance on his dastardly uncle, Scar.
