According to Hollywood Reporter, more Lion King is on the way, courtesy of director Barry Jenkins. The Oscar-winning filmmaker is credited for his work on Moonlight, and he will now helm a prequel to Disney’s 2019 hit.
Jon Favreau directed the first installment, a remake of the 1994 animated classic. It used innovative techniques to create photorealistic animals and African landscapes and voice starred Donald Glover as Simba and Beyoncé as Nala. It became a massive hit, earning $1.65 billion globally for Disney.
“Helping my sister raise two young boys during the ’90s, I grew up with these characters. 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,” said Jenkins in a statement.
Jenkins was awarded a screenwriting Oscar for 2017 best picture winner Moonlight, which he directed, and was also nominated for his screenplay for his directorial follow-up, 2018’s If Beale Street Could Talk.
While there are no further details on what the prequel will entail, it is expected to be a magnificent body of work.
