Mufasa director Barry Jenkins would only return to Lion King on one condition

As a gamer who has witnessed the evolution of animation from pixelated beginnings to photorealistic masterpieces, I can wholeheartedly appreciate the journey that Barry Jenkins embarked upon with Mufasa: The Lion King. Having been captivated by his indie masterworks like Moonlight and If Beale Street Could Talk, it was a delightful surprise to see him take on a Disney project.

Mufasa: Given that The Lion King deviated significantly from Barry Jenkins’ typical work, might he consider directing it again for Disney? That decision hinges on a single factor.

Jenkins is particularly recognized for his remarkable independent films, such as his Academy Award-winning 2016 drama ‘Moonlight’ and his 2019 film adaption of ‘If Beale Street Could Talk’.

Entering the realm of Disney was a daring transition for the director, as he assumed control over Mufasa: The Lion King – an original tale that bridges both prequel and sequel aspects, following the 2019 highly realistic retelling of the beloved animated original.

Just before the premiere of the latest film, our team at TopMob had a chat with Jenkins about the possibility of him revisiting that universe in the future.

Barry Jenkins discusses potential Disney return after Mufasa: The Lion King

Jenkins mentioned that the script might be acceptable under one stipulation: it must meet the same level of quality as Mufasa’s.

To be honest, I chose to make this movie in its particular style because the script was truly exceptional. If I received another script demanding stop-motion animation, then I might consider taking on that project too.

The screenplay was the main reason the filmmaker took on Mufasa: The Lion King in the first place. “I did not expect so much of what happens in this film,” Jenkins continued. 

As a dedicated admirer, I must say, Jeff Nathanson’s scriptwork on the Lion King truly stood out for me. He skillfully infused fresh intricacies into the age-old themes of good versus evil, as portrayed in Mufasa and Scar. His exceptional storytelling prowess revealed how the world itself played a pivotal role in molding these characters we first encountered in 1994, brilliantly voiced by James Earl Jones and Jeremy Irons.

Speaking about the major hurdle of helming the Disney film, Jenkins mused that the story wasn’t too far removed from his typical projects.

In essence, these characters are new to the storyline. Previously, my work hasn’t involved a continuation (sequel) or an earlier tale (prequel). This is the first time you encounter them,” he clarified.

To put it simply, the primary distinction lay in the production methods used. I found the film’s themes quite pertinent and aligned with previous works. What intrigued me was the prospect of these innovative tools merging with our distinctive style, given the thematic similarities.

It seems that the difficulty lay in mastering a novel technology and acquiring a fresh set of visual storytelling tools. However, as we delved deeper, it became clear that it was much like working with any other tool.

Mufasa: The Lion King is in cinemas now. You can read about the movie’s James Earl Jones dedication, Mufasa voice star Mads Mikkelsen’s thoughts on a Hannibal revival, and our roundup of the best movies of 2024.

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2024-12-23 19:07