Disney’s ‘The Lion King’ Live-Action Follow-up in the Works With Oscar-Winning ‘Moonlight’ Director Barry Jenkins
Barry Jenkins is set to direct the sequel to Disney’s The Lion King.
Jenkins’s first short film was titled My Josephine which received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best First Feature for Medicine for Melancholy. Since then, Jenkins has directed If Beale Street Could Talk and Moonlight which received an Oscar award for Best Adapted Screenplay in 2017.
“Helping my sister raise two young boys during the ’90s, I grew up with these characters,” Jenkins said in his interview with Deadline Hollywood. “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 sequel won’t be animated, rather it will be a continuation of the live-action film that was released in 2019 which was directed by Jon Favreau. Although there hasn’t been a set release date due to COVID-19, Disney is working with Jenkins to start production for this massive special effects film. In addition, Disney hasn’t released the team of voice actors for the sequel, but since the film in 2019 did so well, we can only hope that Donald Glover will come back as Simba, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter as Nala, Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen as Timon and Pumbaa, and James Earl Jones as Mufasa.
The exciting news of the sequel was announced on Twitter by Lulu Wang, Jenkins partner who is set to help direct the film.
— Lulu Wang (@thumbelulu) September 29, 2020
With Disney’s recent live-action films of Mulan, Aladdin, Dumbo, The Lady and The Tramp, and Beauty and the Beast; there is no telling what mind-blowing features Disney will throw our way.
