The Lion King follow-up in the works at Disney with Oscar-winning Moonlight director Barry Jenkins
The Lion King follow-up in the works at Disney with Oscar-winning Moonlight director Barry Jenkins
Walt Disney Studios is gearing up for a live-action ‘follow-up’ to 2019’s The Lion King, Deadline reported on Tuesday.
The Mouse House has tapped Oscar-winning Moonlight director Barry Jenkins to helm the upcoming project, taking over for director Jon Favreau.
The story will reportedly ‘further explore the mythology of the characters’ from both the 1994 animated film and the live-action remake, particularly Mufasa.
Pride Rock: Walt Disney Studios is gearing up for a live-action ‘follow-up’ to 2019’s The Lion King, Deadline reported on Tuesday
Plot details are being kept tightly under wraps and no date has been given for the release of the film or even for production to start.
However, it’s being reported that the story will be a continuation of the 2019 film rather than the animated classic which differs slightly.
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Deadline also said that the movie will go backwards and forwards in time, revealing more about Mufasa’s backstory.
Barry Jenkins will continue to use the same cutting edge photo-realistic technology that was utilized by Favreau in the 2019 film to make the animals look like their real live counterparts.
‘Having the opportunity to work with Disney on expanding this magnificent tale of friendship, love and legacy while furthering my work chronicling the lives and souls of folk within the African diaspora is a dream come true,’ Jenkins said in a statement (Pictured in 2019)
‘Helping my sister raise two young boys during the ’90s, I grew up with these characters,’ Jenkins said in a statement.
‘Having the opportunity to work with Disney on expanding this magnificent tale of friendship, love and legacy while furthering my work chronicling the lives and souls of folk within the African diaspora is a dream come true.’
The 2019 adaptation of the Disney classic starred Donald Glover as Simba, Beyoncé as Nala, Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen and as Timon and Pumbaa and James Earl Jones reprising his role as Mufasa.
Whether or not this star studded cast of actors will lend their voices once more to the iconic characters remains to be seen as Disney is yet to divulge casting details.
What is to come: The story will reportedly ‘further explore the mythology of the characters’ from both the 1994 animated film and the the live-action remake like Mufasa, Simba, Nala, and the whole Pride Rock gang
The Lion King (2019) was a box office smash for Disney, grossing $1.6 billion worldwide.
It followed several other live-action adaptations of animated classics within the Walt Disney Studios vault however, so far, only two are getting follow-ups – The Lion King and Aladdin.
The family film is quite a departure for director Barry Jenkins. He took home two Academy Awards for 2016’s Moonlight which won Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay.
In 2018 he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay for If Beale Street Could Talk, which he wrote the same year as penning Moonlight.
He is currently working on a second project with Disney, he is set to direct an upcoming biopic about legendary choreographer Alvin Ailey.
Change of pace: The family film is quite a departure for director Barry Jenkins who took home two Academy Awards for 2016’s Moonlight which won Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay
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