Lin-Manuel Miranda Reveals Why He Agreed to Write the ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ Soundtrack
While Mufasa: The Lion King may not have gotten off to the start at the box office that many were hoping for, the film’s soundtrack has been universally praised.
The Lion King, of course, features one of the most iconic soundtracks of all time, featuring beloved songs such as “The Circle of Life,” “Hakuna Matata,” and “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King.”
To fill the shoes of Tim Rice and Elton John, Disney knew they needed another musical giant. Naturally, they turned to Lin-Manuel Miranda.


Photo: IMDB
“It was daunting, I was low-key daunted,” he explained to Deadline.
Miranda’s Reason For Joining ‘Mufasa
At the time that Miranda accepted the Mufasa job, he was in the midst of directing Tick, Tick…Boom!, was doing press for In The Heights, and had just finished his work on Encanto.
When asked why he took on the additional pressure of Mufasa, the songwriter’s answer was simple- the opportunity to work with Barry Jenkins.


Photo: Deadline
“I try to say yes to things I know I’ll learn from,” Miranda says. “Barry is one of our great storytellers.” Miranda explained.
“I knew I wouldn’t be going, ‘Here are your songs, Barry, see you at opening night!’”
In addition to Jenkins, Miranda also got the opportunity to work with Lebo M. and Davef Metzger, who wrote the soundtrack for The Lion King’s stage adaptation.


Photo: OkayAfrica
“Part of saying yes to the gig was that I wanted to work with Lebo M.,” Miranda says. “He’s the musical force of all of these different amazing artists who have worked in this world.”
The Songwriter’s Decision Is Paying Dividends
Miranda’s decision to accept the Mufasa gig has paid off in spades. Earlier this month, “Tell Me It’s You” was shortlisted for the Best Original Song category at the upcoming Academy Awards.
Meanwhile, “I’ve Alway Wanted a Brother” has gone viral on TikTok and racked up millions of streaming plays.


Photo: Disney
Even if Mufasa ends up not being the blockbuster that Disney was hoping for, Miranda was able to work his magic again.