Barry Jenkins is directing a 'Lion King' prequel

The circle of life is getting even bigger for The Lion King. Following the success of the 1994 Oscar-winning animated film, Disney developed the story into a Broadway show that opened in 1997 and won six Tonys. More recently, a new audience was introduced to the beloved animal characters last year with a remake that featured Beyoncé and Donald Glover as the voices for Nala and Simba. Now Disney is once again heading back to Africa with a new prequel for The Lion King, and has snagged Oscar-winning writer and director Barry Jenkins to helm the project. Academy Awards, you have been put on notice.Jenkins confirmed the news on Twitter by sharing an article about the new project and writing “This. Yes, this.”

This.

Yes, THIS??‘The Lion King’ Sequel Set With ‘Moonlight’ Director Barry Jenkins To Helm For Walt Disney Studios https://t.co/Ev7Obi8Km8 via @Deadline— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) September 29, 2020

Jenkins and his partner, fellow director Lulu Wang (The Farewell, Postumous), have also been sharing some of their favourite guesses as to what the Moonlight director’s new vision will look like and honestly, we’ll take any of them.

pic.twitter.com/70yQh7Ip1S

— Lulu Wang (@thumbelulu) September 29, 2020

Ummmm, Lulu just sent this to me and man... well played SA ??

Not a sequel. Not a remake.All love... https://t.co/JGJclpEVMh— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) September 29, 2020

An exact synopsis for the film has yet to be released, but according to Deadline, the new film “…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.”Jenkins’ film will use the same photo-realistic technology director Jon Favreau employed for the 2019 version of The Lion King, which in addition to Beyoncé and Glover also starred Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Alfre Woodard, John Oliver, Keegan-Michael Key, Eric Andre and James Earl Jones, who also voiced Mufasa in the 1994 animated feature. Neither Disney nor Jenkins have confirmed which, if any, members from last year’s cast will be returning for the prequel.“Helping my sister raise two young boys during the ’90s, I grew up with these characters,” Jenkins told Deadline 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.”The latest installment of The Lion King received four Grammy nominations and two Golden Globe nominations for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song for “Spirit,” which was performed by Beyoncé. The single was included on the soundtrack for the film, as well as Beyoncé’s The Lion King: The Gift compilation album that was released at the same time of the 2019 film. In July, Beyoncé unveiled her stunning visual album Black Is King, which featured music from The Lion King: The Gift, including “Spirit.”Jenkins is best known for writing and directing the 2018 adaptation of James Baldwin’s If Beale Street Could Talk and 2016’s Moonlight, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture (not La La Land). Jenkins, who became only the second Black person to direct a Best Picture winner after taking home the Oscar for Moonlight, has most recently been working on a limited series adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize winning The Underground Railroad.[video_embed id='-1']Before you go: Sad doggy has emotional reaction to 'The Lion King' scene[/video_embed]