The Walt Disney Co. will make a follow-up to the 2019 live-action The Lion King, with Barry Jenkins, the director of the Oscar-winning Moonlight and the James Baldwin adaptation If Beale Street Could Talk, set to direct.
Disney announced plans Tuesday for a kind of prequel to last year's poorly reviewed but highly popular photorealistic remake. The new Lion King grossed more than $1.6 billion worldwide, so a sequel was perhaps always likely. Less expected was a Lion King with Jenkins directing. The film, Disney said, will explore the mythology of The Lion King, including Mufasa's origin story.
"Helping my sister raise two young boys during the '90s, I grew up with these characters," Jenkins said in a statement. "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."
![Barry Jenkins directed the Oscar-winning film Moonlight. Photo / AP](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/4SRL7467ACJX5THBKLZAHD2ZKE.jpg?auth=0004f859700b0c076bba966cf8460fecacfd5cfb4daf74c95f4ec1700e0e85a2&width=16&height=12&quality=70&smart=true)