'The Lion King' prequel in development with 'Moonlight' director Barry Jenkins?

Released in 2019, The Lion King was a photorealistic computer-animated remake of Disney’s traditionally animated 1994 film of the same name. Directed by Jon Favreau, the updated version received mixed reviews and performed well at the box office. Now Disney has announced that they are developing a follow-up film to the classic story.

Also Read | Mulan 2020 Compared To The Animated Disney Version Of 1998; See List

The Lion King prequel in development at Disney

Deadline has recently reported that The Walt Disney Studios are making a follow-up to the 2019 blockbuster The Lion King. Oscar-winner Barry Jenkins has been tapped to direct the movie. Jeff Nathanson, who penned down the last installment, will return as the writer and has even completed an initial draft of the script. Adele Romanski and Mark Ceryak are expected to come aboard as producers.

The film will be a prequel story to The Lion King. It will continue with the photo-realistic technology used by directed Jon Favreau in the previous part and The Jungle Book (2019). The studio has not provided a release date, but it is said to be one of their top upcoming projects. The story is said to explore the past of Mufasa, and how he becomes the King of the jungle. Details are currently under wraps, but the news has made the fans of the franchise excited.

Also Read | Disney's 'Raya And The Last Dragon' First Look Out; Kelly Marie Tran To Voice The Lead

Also Read | The Mandalorian Season 2 Trailer Gives Fans 'high Hopes' For Disney Plus' Star Wars Series

Barry Jenkins talked about the forthcoming movie to Deadline. He said that helping his sister raise two young boys during the 90s, he grew up with these Disney characters. The filmmaker mentioned that having the opportunity to work with Disney on expanding this “magnificent tale” of friendship, love, and legacy while furthering his work chronicling the lives and souls of folk within the African diaspora is a dream come true for him.

Barry Jenkins directed the Oscar-winning film Moonlight (2016). His 2018 movie, If Beale Street Could Talk earned a nomination for his screenplay at the Academy Awards and Golden Globes. Jenkins has also helmed an upcoming television series, The Underground Railroad.

Also Read | The 'King's Man' Release Date Moved Up To Early Feb 2021 By Disney

The Lion King voice cast included James Earl Jones, Donald Glover, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Alfre Woodard, James Earl Jones, John Oliver, Keegan-Michael Key, Eric Andre, Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner, Amy Sedaris, and Chance the Rapper. It is unclear who could return in the upcoming The Lion King Prequel. The expectation from the movie is high, as the previous installment reportedly collected more than $1 billion worldwide against a budget of $250 million.