Disney is Moving Forward with a Sequel To THE LION KING with Moonlight Director Barry Jenkins

Disney is moving forward with its sequel to director Jon Favreau’s remake of The Lion King. The studio has hired Oscar-winner Barry Jenkins (Moonlight,  If Beale Street Could Talk) to helm the film.

The latest Lion King film was a huge box office success, so it’s not really surprising that the studio would make a sequel. The fans were expecting it. Jenkins said in a statement:

“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.”

Story details for the sequel are being kept under wraps, but Deadline is reporting that the story “will further explore the mythology of the characters, including Mufasa’s origin story. Moving the story forward while looking back conjures memories of The Godfather: Part II, set on the African plain with a continuation of the tradition of music that was a key part of the 1994 animated classic, the 2019 film and the blockbuster Broadway stage transfer.”

Don’t expect the film to be a remake of the animated sequel to the film. This is going to give us a different story. But, the sequel will be made using the photo-realistic technology that Favreau used to make the 2019 film and 2016’s The Jungle Book.

There’s no word if the original cast will return to reprise their roles, but I imagine that many of them will. That voice cast included Chiwetel Ejiofor, Donald Glover, Alfre Woodard, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, James Earl Jones, John Oliver, Keegan-Michael Key, Eric Andre, Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner, Amy Sedaris and Chance the Rapper.

There is no release date set for The Lion King sequel yet, but this film is a priority for the studio.