I Always Wanted a Brother was written by Lin-Manuel Miranda for Disney's Mufasa The Lion King, released in 2024 as a prequel exploring Mufasa and Scar's early life. In the film, a young Mufasa meets Taka, the cub who later becomes Scar, and the pair sing it as their bond forms. Performed by Braelyn Rankins and Theo Somolu, the upbeat number became one of the soundtrack's most shared tracks online. Clips circulated on social media for sibling reveals, pet pairings and friendship edits, keeping the chorus recognizable beyond the film.