‘Mufasa’s’ “I Always Wanted a Brother” Is Officially a Hit
When Mufasa: The Lion King opened to a tepid $35 million debut weekend, many were worried about the film’s box office prospects.
Since then, however, The Liong King prequel has undergone a massive turnaround and is now closing in on the $600 million threshold. So, what changed?
First and foremost, it appears that families were waiting until after Christmas to head to movie theaters. After December 25, Mufasa has roared past its competition, including Sonic the Hedgehog 3, which initially trounced the film.


Photo: Disney
The film’s strong word-of-mouth has helped Mufasa keep its momentum going. Audiences have been delighted with the movie, giving it an “A-” CinemaScore.
“I Always Wanted a Brother”
The film’s soundtrack has also kept Mufasa in the spotlight, as it has proven immensely popular on TikTok.
Written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, the Mufasa soundtrack’s breakout song is “I Always Wanted a Brother.” Long a viral trend on TikTok, the song has now reached No. 4 on the TikTok Billboard Top 50.
Outside of TikTok, “I Always Wanted a Brother” also reached No. 13 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart.
Lin-Manuel Miranda Strikes Gold Again
According to director Barry Jenkins, “I Always Wanted a Brother” was the first song written for the film.


Photo: Disney
“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,” Miranda told Variety.
“I said, Barry, ‘Let me time jump them,’ and we meet the lions we’re going to be with the rest of the film.”


Photo: PRESLEY ANN/GETTY
As Mufasa continues its box office run, Disney’s decision to tap Miranda to write the film’s soundtrack is paying off.