In 2019, we got a remake of the original Disney animation The Lion King, which came out in 1994. It has just been announced that a prequel to the 2019 remake is in the works.
Director Barry Jenkins
Director Barry Jenkins is set to direct an upcoming prequel to the original story of The Lion King. Jenkins is known for directing the 2016 coming-of-age drama film Moonlight, which won a 2017 Oscar for Best Picture, and the 2018 film If Beale Street Could Talk which is a romantic drama set in Harlem in the 1970s. In a statement, Jenkins describes his attachment and love for The Lion King and says:
"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."
A Second Photorealistic Animated Movie
The 2019 remake of The Lion King was directed by Jon Favreau and written by Jeff Nathanson, who is set to write the upcoming prequel. The film kept the same plot as the original 1994 animated film, but used advanced animations and had different actors voicing the characters, such as Donald Glover as Simba and Beyoncé as Nala. The cast for the prequel is still unknown. The remake brought in $1.65 billion to Disney, so we can hope that its prequel is just as much of a hit!
