Mufasa: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

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''The Lion King'' was the first film released during the [[Disney Renaissance]]{{Efn|The [[Disney Renaissance]] was a period from 1989 to 1999 when [[Walt Disney Feature Animation]] experienced a resurgence in critical and commercial acclaim, releasing some of the studio's most successful animated films. ''The Lion King'' was the fifth film released during this period.<ref name="disneyrenaissanceBFI">{{cite news |last1=Determan |first1=Sophie |title=The many merry eras of Disney |url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/features/many-merry-eras-disney |access-date=September 13, 2024 |work=[[British Film Institute]] |date=February 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240831145152/https://www.bfi.org.uk/features/many-merry-eras-disney |archive-date=August 31, 2024}}</ref>|name=Disney Renaissance definition}} to focus on a father-son relationship, rather than a romantic one.<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 10, 2022 |title=The Lion King Mufasa Production Maquette (Walt Disney, 1994).... |url=https://comics.ha.com/itm/animation-art/maquette/the-lion-king-mufasa-production-maquette-walt-disney-1994-/a/7295-17172.s#auction-description |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240912122449/https://comics.ha.com/itm/animation-art/maquette/the-lion-king-mufasa-production-maquette-walt-disney-1994-/a/7295-17172.s#auction-description |archive-date=September 12, 2024 |access-date=September 12, 2024 |work=[[Heritage Auctions]]}}</ref> Producer [[Don Hahn]] described the film as "essentially a love story between a father and a son ... It’s about that moment in life when you realise that your father is going to pass on to you his wisdom and knowledge".<ref name=":72" /> In early drafts of the film, Mufasa was not related to Scar,<ref name=":52" />{{Efn|In early versions of the story, Scar was originally a rogue lion unrelated to Mufasa, before the filmmakers incorporated inspiration from [[William Shakespeare]]'s play [[Hamlet]].<ref name="scarbackstorycomicbook.com">{{cite news |last1=Bonomolo |first1=Cameron |title=Mufasa: The Lion King Changes Scar's Backstory |url=https://comicbook.com/movies/news/mufasa-the-lion-king-scar-backstory-change/ |access-date=September 14, 2024 |work=[[ComicBook.com]] |date=April 30, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240503063912/https://comicbook.com/movies/news/mufasa-the-lion-king-scar-backstory-change/ |archive-date=May 3, 2024}}</ref>|name=Scar rogue lion}} but the producers decided that making these characters brothers would provide a more interesting story.<ref name=":52" /> However, the characters' physical appearances had already been finalized, leaving little [[Family resemblance (anthropology)|family resemblance]] between the pair.<ref name=":52">{{Cite news |last=Nilles |first=Billy |date=June 19, 2019 |title=The Lion King Turns 25: Everything You Need to Know About Disney's Original Trip to Pride Rock |url=https://www.eonline.com/ca/news/1049788/the-lion-king-turns-25-everything-you-need-to-know-about-disney-s-original-trip-to-pride-rock |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230505231418/https://www.eonline.com/ca/news/1049788/the-lion-king-turns-25-everything-you-need-to-know-about-disney-s-original-trip-to-pride-rock |archive-date=May 5, 2023 |access-date=September 11, 2024 |work=[[E!]]}}</ref> According to director [[Rob Minkoff]], they had always imagined that Mufasa accidentally gave Scar his [[Eponym|eponymous]] scar when they were children.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Romano |first=Nick |date=August 29, 2017 |title=The Lion King director reacts to film's Honest Trailer |url=https://ew.com/movies/2017/08/29/the-lion-king-honest-trailer-director-commentary/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240914031602/https://ew.com/movies/2017/08/29/the-lion-king-honest-trailer-director-commentary/ |archive-date=September 14, 2024 |access-date=September 13, 2024 |work=[[Entertainment Weekly]]}}</ref> Although Mufasa and Scar refer to each other as "brothers" as members of the same pride,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hanley |first=Cecelia |date=August 17, 2017 |title=Lion King makers reveal Scar, Mufasa aren't brothers |url=https://www.wtxl.com/syndication/lion-king-makers-reveal-scar-mufasa-aren-t-brothers/article_2aa4abde-eafd-5d96-b2bb-594904722bf9.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220928213132/https://www.wtxl.com/syndication/lion-king-makers-reveal-scar-mufasa-aren-t-brothers/article_2aa4abde-eafd-5d96-b2bb-594904722bf9.html |archive-date=September 28, 2022 |access-date=September 13, 2024 |work=[[WTXL-TV|WTXL ABC 27]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Whitehead |first=Mat |date=August 17, 2017 |title=Hold Up, It Turns Out Scar And Mufasa Aren't Even Brothers |url=https://www.huffpost.com/archive/au/entry/hold-up-it-turns-out-scar-and-mufasa-arent-even-brothers_au_5cd36a0ce4b0acea950069e6 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240917193537/https://www.huffpost.com/archive/au/entry/hold-up-it-turns-out-scar-and-mufasa-arent-even-brothers_au_5cd36a0ce4b0acea950069e6 |archive-date=September 17, 2024 |access-date=September 14, 2024 |work=[[HuffPost]]}}</ref> Hahn retrospectively suggested that it would have been unlikely for Mufasa and Scar to share the same parents because lion prides typically have only one adult male,<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 21, 2017 |title='Lion King' director reveals shocking truth about Mufasa and Scar |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ani/lion-king-director-reveals-shocking-truth-about-mufasa-and-scar-117082100470_1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240914064612/https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ani/lion-king-director-reveals-shocking-truth-about-mufasa-and-scar-117082100470_1.html |archive-date=September 14, 2024 |access-date=September 14, 2024 |work=[[Business Standard]]}}</ref> with younger rogue lions often killing a pride's original leader and his offspring to assert dominance.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lang |first=Cady |date=August 29, 2017 |title=The Lion King Director Confirms That Mufasa and Scar Are Totally Brothers |url=https://time.com/4920182/the-lion-king-mufasa-scar-brothers/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240913014604/https://time.com/4920182/the-lion-king-mufasa-scar-brothers/ |archive-date=September 13, 2024 |access-date=September 12, 2024 |work=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Ani |date=August 21, 2017 |title='The Lion King' director reveals truth about Mufasa and Scar |url=https://www.theweek.in/news/entertainment/lion-king-director-reveals-truth-mufasa-scar.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240914063329/https://www.theweek.in/news/entertainment/lion-king-director-reveals-truth-mufasa-scar.html |archive-date=September 14, 2024 |access-date=September 14, 2024 |work=[[The Week (Indian magazine)|The Week]]}}</ref>{{Efn|In a 2017 interview, producer [[Don Hahn]] received widespread media coverage when he suggested that, contrary to popular belief, Mufasa and Scar are not blood-related brothers due to power and gender dynamics that typically limit lion prides to one adult male.<ref name="mufasacarbrotherhoodglamour">{{cite news |last1=Rosa |first1=Christopher |title=Um, Mufasa and Scar Aren't Actually Brothers in 'The Lion King' |url=https://www.glamour.com/story/mufasa-scar-not-actually-brothers-in-the-lion-king |access-date=September 12, 2024 |work=[[Glamour (magazine)|Glamour]] |date=August 16, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240814101646/https://www.glamour.com/story/mufasa-scar-not-actually-brothers-in-the-lion-king |archive-date=August 14, 2024}}</ref><ref name="mufasascartoday">{{cite news |last1=Curley |first1=Julia |title='Lion King' producer reveals shocking truth about Scar, Mufasa |url=https://www.today.com/popculture/lion-king-producer-reveals-shocking-truth-about-scar-mufasa-t115294 |access-date=September 12, 2024 |work=[[Today (American TV program)|Today]] |date=August 19, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220330070235/https://www.today.com/popculture/lion-king-producer-reveals-shocking-truth-about-scar-mufasa-t115294 |archive-date=March 30, 2022 |quote=Hahn off-handedly caused an existential crisis for "Lion King" lovers when he said, “Scar and Mufasa couldn’t really be from the same gene pool.”}}</ref> Hahn said Scar alludes to their nonrelation with a line referencing that he belongs to "the shallow end of the [[gene pool]]".<ref name="genepoolcomicbook.com">{{cite news |last1=Anderson |first1=Jenna |title='The Lion King' Producer Says Mufasa and Scar Aren't Actually Brothers |url=https://comicbook.com/movies/news/lion-king-mufasa-scar-brothers-don-hahn/ |access-date=September 14, 2024 |work=[[ComicBook.com]] |date=August 20, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240710095725/https://comicbook.com/movies/news/lion-king-mufasa-scar-brothers-don-hahn/ |archive-date=July 10, 2024}}</ref> Following fan outcry, the statement was retracted by director [[Rob Minkoff]].<ref name="mufasascarinquirer">{{cite news |last1=Ibarrola |first1=Khristian |title=‘Lion King’ director retracts earlier statement, says Mufasa and Scar are brothers |url=https://entertainment.inquirer.net/240548/lion-king-director-retracts-earlier-statement-says-mufasa-scar-brothers |access-date=September 13, 2024 |work=[[Philippine Daily Inquirer]] |date=August 31, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170831091443/https://entertainment.inquirer.net/240548/lion-king-director-retracts-earlier-statement-says-mufasa-scar-brothers |archive-date=August 31, 2017 |quote=“We got into trouble,” he described the backlash that ensued from his earlier revelation.}}</ref><ref name="mufasascargoodhousekeeping">{{cite news |last1=Brodsky |first1=Sam |title=Update: "Lion King" Director Confirms that Scar and Mufasa Are Brothers |url=https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/entertainment/news/a45633/lion-king-scar-and-mufasa-not-brothers/ |access-date=September 12, 2024 |work=[[Good Housekeeping]] |date=September 1, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230326223948/https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/entertainment/news/a45633/lion-king-scar-and-mufasa-not-brothers/ |archive-date=March 26, 2023}}</ref>|name=Mufasa and Scar brothers.}}

Screenwriter [[Linda Woolverton]] described writing Mufasa's death as realizing they would need to make him "the greatest father that ever lived" for his death to feel particularly impactful.<ref name=":9" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Fallon |first=Kevin |date=July 12, 2017 |title=The ‘Maleficent’ Screenwriter Also Wrote ‘The Lion King’ and ‘Beauty and the Beast’ |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-maleficent-screenwriter-also-wrote-the-lion-king-and-beauty-and-the-beast |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240414114344/https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-maleficent-screenwriter-also-wrote-the-lion-king-and-beauty-and-the-beast |archive-date=April 14, 2024 |access-date=September 13, 2024 |work=[[The Daily Beast]]}}</ref> By the time Minkoff became involved, they had already decided Mufasa would die from a stampede, albeit in a less brutal manner.<ref name=":10" /> Death via stampede{{Efn|Although Mufasa's exact [[cause of death]] is not shown on-screen after Scar throws him from the cliff, critics agree that the character was "trampled to death" by the stampeding wildebeests.<ref name="tramplednyt">{{cite news |last1=Lipson |first1=Eden Ross |author1-link=Eden Ross Lipson |title=July 3-9; A Better Reason to Fear "The Lion King" |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/07/10/weekinreview/july-39-a-better-reason-to-fear-the-lion-king.html |access-date=October 1, 2024 |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=July 10, 1994}}</ref><ref name="trampledhoustonpress">{{cite news |last1=Szatmary |first1=Peter |title=A Lame, and Troubling, Lion |url=https://www.houstonpress.com/film/a-lame-and-troubling-lion-6572883 |access-date=October 1, 2024 |work=[[Houston Press]] |date=July 7, 1994}}</ref><ref name="trampledtodeathgainsville">{{cite news |last1=Barrera |first1=Sandra |title=The Lion King, IMAX version |url=https://www.gainesville.com/story/news/2002/12/25/the-lion-king-imax-version/31622786007/ |access-date=October 1, 2024 |work=[[The Gainesville Sun]] |date=December 24, 2002}}</ref>|name=trampledtodeath}} was one of the few ideas that remained unchanged during the film's production, which was chosen because lions [[Apex predator|lack natural predators]].<ref name=":29" /> Minkoff lobbied in favor of exploring his death in more detail, which was unusual for an animated film at the time.<ref name=":10" /> The director also understood the risk of [[Killing off|killing]] a character as important as Mufasa so late into the film, after viewers had already become attached.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Foutch |first=Haleigh |date=August 29, 2017 |title='The Lion King' Co-Director Explains Why the Animated Classic Was a Bold Move for Disney |url=https://collider.com/lion-king-blu-ray-interview-rob-minkoff/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230730070902/https://collider.com/lion-king-blu-ray-interview-rob-minkoff/ |archive-date=July 30, 2023 |access-date=September 14, 2024 |work=[[Collider (website)|Collider]]}}</ref> Although they drew inspiration from the implied off-screen death of Bambi's mother in ''[[Bambi]]'' (1942),<ref>{{Cite news |last=Polowy |first=Kevin |date=August 31, 2017 |title='The Lion King' director explains how death of Bambi's mom influenced the death of Simba's dad |url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/lion-king-director-explains-death-bambis-mom-influenced-death-simbas-dad-233203927.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240420015422/https://www.yahoo.com/web/20240420015422/https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/lion-king-director-explains-death-bambis-mom-influenced-death-simbas-dad-233203927.html |archive-date=April 20, 2024 |access-date=September 24, 2024 |work=[[Yahoo! Entertainment]]}}</ref><ref name=":43">{{Cite news |last=Bankhurst |first=Adam |date=June 24, 2024 |title=The Lion King at 30: The Disney Movie 'No One Was Supposed to Care About' |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/the-lion-king-at-30-the-disney-movie-no-one-was-supposed-to-care-about |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240811042051/https://www.ign.com/articles/the-lion-king-at-30-the-disney-movie-no-one-was-supposed-to-care-about |archive-date=August 11, 2024 |access-date=September 19, 2024 |work=[[IGN]] |id=Some crew members such as inbetweener Rachel Bibb referred to it as "our Bambi moment".}}</ref><ref name=":45">{{Cite news |last=Stone |first=Jay |date=June 24, 1994 |title=Film roars with glorious creativity |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/464913433/?clipping_id=90967673&fcfToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJmcmVlLXZpZXctaWQiOjQ2NDkxMzQzMywiaWF0IjoxNzI2ODU3NzI2LCJleHAiOjE3MjY5NDQxMjZ9.UAaCwbRj7hf7b1F9cHgs1k7Sa8ASvXt_2iYcBeMgz-Q&terms=mufasa&match=1 |url-access=registration |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240920190053/https://www.newspapers.com/image/464913433/?clipping_id=90967673&fcfToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJmcmVlLXZpZXctaWQiOjQ2NDkxMzQzMywiaWF0IjoxNzI2ODU3NzI2LCJleHAiOjE3MjY5NDQxMjZ9.UAaCwbRj7hf7b1F9cHgs1k7Sa8ASvXt_2iYcBeMgz-Q&terms=mufasa&match=1 |archive-date=September 20, 2024 |access-date=September 20, 2024 |work=[[The Ottawa Citizen]] |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> Minkoff argued that ''The Lion King'' should confront Mufasa's death in a more direct manner by having Simba interact with his dead body on-screen.<ref name=":26">{{Cite news |last=Conaboy |first=Kelly |date=December 28, 2023 |title=The Bizarre Tragedy of Children’s Movies |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2023/12/kids-movies-sadness-tragedy-emotional-reaction/675599/ |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240227003615/https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2023/12/kids-movies-sadness-tragedy-emotional-reaction/675599/ |archive-date=February 27, 2024 |access-date=September 16, 2024 |work=[[The Atlantic]]}}</ref> According to art director [[Andy Gaskill]], the decision to slowly reveal Mufasa's lifeless body as the dust clears from the scene heightens its realism by allowing audiences and Simba to realize what has occurred simultaneously.<ref name=":10" /> The creative team was initially divided on whether showing Mufasa's death was appropriate for the film's target audience,<ref name=":10" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Beck |first=Jerry |author-link=Jerry Beck |url=https://www.google.ca/books/edition/The_Animated_Movie_Guide/fTI1yeZd-tkC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=linda+woolverton+%22mufasa%22&pg=PA145&printsec=frontcover |title=The Animated Movie Guide |publisher=[[Chicago Review Press]] |year=2005 |isbn=9781569762226 |location=United States |pages=146 |via=[[Google Books]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Holub |first=Christian |date=April 2, 2018 |title=The Lion King stars look back on the making of the animated hit |url=https://ew.com/movies/2018/04/02/disney-lion-king-timon-pumbaa-simba/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526025241/https://ew.com/movies/2018/04/02/disney-lion-king-timon-pumbaa-simba/ |archive-date=May 26, 2024 |access-date=September 28, 2024 |work=[[Entertainment Weekly]]}}</ref> and carefully re-wrote the scene to straddle "'the sweet spot of emotion,' pushing just far enough without making the scene too overwhelming for its young audience".<ref name=":9" /> One crew member suggested that his death occur in the distance or shadows, but Minkoff [[Veto|vetoed]] the idea.<ref name=":26" /> Despite its short length,{{Efn|Mufasa's death scene occurs thirty-two minutes and ten seconds into the film and last five minutes, according to [[Christianity Today|Preaching Today]].<ref name="deathlength">{{cite news |title="The Lion King": Substitutionary Sacrifice |url=https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2001/july/13153.html |access-date=October 2, 2024 |work=[[Christianity Today|''Preaching Today'']] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201020112428/https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2001/july/13153.html |archive-date=October 20, 2020}}</ref>|name=mufasadeathduration}} Mufasa's death required approximately 30 filmmakers and over two years to complete;<ref name=":10" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Singh |first=Anvita |date=July 22, 2019 |title=The Lion King: why legacy endures, what is different in reimagined version |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/the-lion-king-why-legacy-endures-what-is-different-in-reimagined-version-5840839/ |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240811053905/https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/the-lion-king-why-legacy-endures-what-is-different-in-reimagined-version-5840839/ |archive-date=August 11, 2024 |access-date=September 30, 2024 |work=[[The Indian Express]]}}</ref> it was the last scene finished, despite being the first storyboarded.<ref name=":29" /> Even as the sequence progressed through different stages of production, [[Inbetween artist|inbetweener]] Rachel Bibb still expected it to be edited out, but it was ultimately retained because Disney understood its importance to the final film.<ref name=":43" /> Mufasa's death also mirrors the plot structure of [[William Shakespeare]]'s play ''[[Hamlet]]''.<ref name=":17" />

Mufasa's death prompted the filmmakers to conceive ways to lighten the film's mood afterward.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bonanno |first=Luke |date=September 30, 2011 |title=Interview: Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff, The Directors of The Lion King - Page 2 of 2 |url=https://dvdizzy.com/lionking-directors-interview2.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240914063812/https://dvdizzy.com/lionking-directors-interview2.html |archive-date=September 14, 2024 |access-date=September 14, 2024 |website=DVDizzy.com}}</ref> Minkoff suggested sending Simba into exile immediately, which allowed the emotional impact of Mufasa's death to be alleviated by Timon and Pumbaa's humor.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Clarke |first=James |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=B090Ndx1o6cC&dq=don+hahn+mufasa&pg=PT352 |title=Animated Films - Virgin Film |publisher=[[Ebury Publishing]] |year=2012 |isbn=9781448132812 |location=United Kingdom |access-date=September 18, 2024 |via=[[Google Books]]}}</ref> Originally, they had not planned for Mufasa to reappear after his death,<ref name=":21">{{Cite news |last=Baxter-Wright |first=Dusty |date=July 26, 2016 |title=21 things you didn't know about The Lion King |url=https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/entertainment/a44918/things-you-didnt-know-lion-king/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240720134937/https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/entertainment/a44918/things-you-didnt-know-lion-king/ |archive-date=July 20, 2024 |access-date=September 14, 2024 |work=[[Cosmopolitan (magazine)|Cosmopolitan]]}}</ref> but they wanted Simba to be given a concrete reason to return to Pride Rock, and decided to have his father's ghost convince him during meetings with Minkoff.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ryan |first=Keeley |date=July 19, 2019 |title=13 things about The Lion King that you (probably) didn't know |url=https://her.ie/entertainment/13-things-lion-king-probably-didnt-know-473186 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240912023926/https://her.ie/entertainment/13-things-lion-king-probably-didnt-know-473186 |archive-date=September 12, 2024 |access-date=September 11, 2024 |work=[[Her.ie]]}}</ref><ref name=":35">{{Cite news |last=Armstrong |first=Josh |date=October 8, 2011 |title=Allers & Minkoff: The Legacy of The Lion King |url=https://animatedviews.com/2011/allers-and-minkoff-egacy-of-the-lion-king/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240917164849/https://animatedviews.com/2011/allers-and-minkoff-egacy-of-the-lion-king/ |archive-date=September 17, 2024 |access-date=September 13, 2024 |work=Animated Views}}</ref> Animator [[Chris Sanders]] and story artist [[Brenda Chapman]] were responsible for the scene where Mufasa's spirit tells Simba to return home.<ref name=":51">{{Cite book |last=Diamond |first=Ron |author-link=Ron Diamond |url=https://www.google.ca/books/edition/On_Animation/UPCyDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=rob+minkoff+%22mufasa%22&pg=PA135&printsec=frontcover |title=On Animation – The Director's Perspective Vol 1 |publisher=[[CRC Press]] |year=2019 |isbn=9781351657709 |location=United States |publication-date=2019 |page=135 |via=[[Google Books]]}}</ref><ref name=":02">{{Cite news |last=Kring-schreifels |first=Jake |date=July 19, 2019 |title=How the Original 'Lion King' Came to Life |url=https://www.theringer.com/movies/2019/7/19/20699678/the-lion-king-original-animation-1994 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240911183051/https://www.theringer.com/movies/2019/7/19/20699678/the-lion-king-original-animation-1994 |archive-date=September 11, 2024 |access-date=September 11, 2024 |work=[[The Ringer]]}}</ref><ref name=":36">{{Cite web |title=A Conversation with Brenda Chapman – Transcript |url=https://www.pbs.org/video/a-conversation-with-brenda-chapman-qeaaye/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240918162444/https://www.pbs.org/video/a-conversation-with-brenda-chapman-qeaaye/ |archive-date=September 18, 2024 |access-date=September 18, 2024 |website=[[PBS]]}}</ref> Since it was one of the first scenes written for the film,<ref name=":51" /> Chapman wrote Mufasa's dialogue repeating "remember" to call back to an earlier scene in which Mufasa scolds Simba for visiting the elephant graveyard,<ref name=":36" /> although that scene had not yet been written.<ref name=":51" /> She had intended for the dialogue to simply serve as a placeholder but ultimately retained it.<ref name=":51" /><ref name=":36" /> From the dialogue, Sanders determined that the character would manifest as either "a lifelike ghost, a series of stars, or just a dark presence" in the scene.<ref name=":02" /> He drew inspiration from a musical excerpt from the film ''[[The Mission (1986 film)|The Mission]]'' (1986), and used [[Pastel (color)|pastels]] "to fully encapsulate a vision of Mufasa emerging from the clouds".<ref name=":02" />