‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ director Barry Jenkins recently spoke at CinemaCon 2024 to clear the air about fans’ doubts about his new film.
Jenkins addressed concerns that the animals in the movie do not show enough emotion. This concern wasn’t that new — it came up before when Disney made another Lion King movie in 2019. As per Fandomwire, Jenkins explained that ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ is full of emotion just like the original film from 1994:
“When the script for ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ came across my desk, I was reminded of watching these two very young people deal with very complex emotions in a way that I felt that they were very cared for, very respected, and very safe. It explores Mufasa’s rise to become the iconic king that we all know, and yet what I love about it is that it’s so full of heart, and it helps all these young kids.”
Jenkins is Glad He’s Making ‘Mufasa’
Jenkins also shared why directing ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ was one of the best choices he has made:
“You are probably wondering… what is the director of ‘Moonlight’ doing talking to me about an eight-quadrant tentpole legacy IP massive film? And I gotta say, the thought was very strange to me at first, as well. But oh my god. It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my life, and I’m so glad I made this picture.”
‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ will come out in theaters on December 20. The film uses advanced technology to make the animals look real like 2019’s ‘The Lion King’ and 2016’s ‘The Jungle Book.’ The story will focus on Mufasa and his relationship with his brother Scar. Zazu and Rifiki are also making a return.