When Disney brought The Lion King to screens in a “live-action” format, it was always anticipated that there would be a follow-up movie on the cards. However, despite the originally animated movie having several sequels, the new Lion King film will be a prequel with Moonlight helmer Barry Jenkins directing. Now Jenkins has been giving a little more detail on the project that will tell the tale of Mufasa and Scar in their younger days before the former became king of Pride Rock, much to the latter’s displeasure.
While The Lion King did not quite sit right with some critics, who felt the “real” lions lost some of the expression and feeling that came with their animated counterparts, the film was one of many Disney properties that say in the top-grossing movies of the year list in 2019 after easily breaking through the $1 billion mark. In the new prequel, we will see a whole new tale woven around the history of one of Disney’s greatest villains and his majestic brother, but whether it can hold the same magic as The Lion King remains to be seen.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
The Lion King Prequel Hooked Jenkins From The Moment He Read The Script
As the director of Moonlight and If Beale Street Could Talk, Barry Jenkins doesn’t seem like someone who would jump out as the prime partner for the Lion King prequel, but the drama of the project could well be right up his street, although Jenkins himself had his initial doubts.
The Lion King prequel is some way off, but it has already been announced that Aaron Pierre will be voicing Mufasa, and Kelvin Harrison Jr. will be voicing Scar, and Hans Zimmer will be returning to the franchise to work on the soundtrack with help from Pharrell Williams and Nicholas Britell. How a brand-new story based on the characters of The Lion King will fare when the film is finally released is something we can only wait to find out.
