A Best Picture-winning director is taking on a task previously relegated to the straight-to-video department: a Lion King sequel.
Moonlight director Barry Jenkins has signed on to the task of following up last year’s Lion King remake with a film to continue Simba’s photorealistic story while also look back on Mufasa’s youth. Deadline is comparing the format to The Godfather: Part II, which makes sense but come on. It’s a sequel to what’s basically Hamlet with cats and songs. Let’s not dramatically hoist this lion cub up to The Godfather: Part II just yet—even with Jenkins’ promising presence.
The Lion King (2019) writer Jeff Nathanson is returning for the screenplay, which presumably means he will get drunk and watch The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride, then again just write down what he remembers.
