Why did Barry Jenkins decide to make Mufasa after Oscars glory?

A lot of strange things happened in 2020, it's fair to say. But one of the many unexpected things to come out of that year was Barry Jenkins stepping in as the director of a Lion King prequel based around Mufasa's rise to become king of Pride Rock. Nobody expected that to happen.

Jenkins definitely didn't seem like the most obvious choice for a four-quadrant family blockbuster like Mufasa: The Lion King. His first feature won an Independent Spirit Award, then he returned from a lengthy hiatus to helm the Oscar-winning drama Moonlight. His 2018 follow-up If Beale Street Could Talk also secured three Oscar noms, with Regina King winning for Best Supporting Actress.

This cemented Jenkins as one of the most exciting filmmakers at the prestige end of Hollywood. So, after all that, why did he want to spend years in the world of Disney's blockbuster factory making a prequel to a remake of a beloved classic?

Jenkins is very aware that it seems a strange choice. In fact, in a December 2020 interview, he explained that he initially had a version of the same reaction. "I was very skeptical,” said Jenkins of the day he received the script. "Who am I to make a Lion King movie?"

But he was won over by Jeff Nathanson's script and thought about how his filmmaking contemporary Chloe Zhao had gone from winning an Oscar for Nomadland to making Eternals for Marvel. Jenkins said: "As I kept reading, I got further away from the side of my brain that said 'oh, a filmmaker like you doesn’t make a film like this', and allowed myself to get to the place where these characters, this story, is amazing."

Read more: Barry Jenkins Planned on Turning Down ‘Mufasa’ Before Reading the Script (IndieWire, 3 min read)

In short, Jenkins let his love for The Lion King and his desire to tell stories on whatever canvas is available to him take over from any misgivings he might have had. He called Jon Favreau, who directed the 2019 remake of The Lion King, for advice and to make sure he wasn't treading on toes. "One of the best things he said to me was 'don’t worry about the original film or the film I made, you have to make this film in your voice', which I thought was very cool," Jenkins explained.

In April 2024, Jenkins took to the stage at CinemaCon to premiere some new footage from Mufasa. He acknowledged the weirdness of his involvement. “You are probably wondering… what is the director of Moonlight doing talking to me about an eight-quadrant tentpole legacy IP massive film?" said the filmmaker. “And I gotta say, the thought was very strange to me at first, as well. But oh my god. It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my life, and I’m so glad I made this picture.”

Read more: How Mufasa: The Lion King Pays Tribute to Late James Earl Jones 3 Months After His Death (People, 2 min read)

Jenkins has defended his decision to his fans, as well. When one user on X (formerly Twitter) criticised him for taking part in the "soulless machine" of Disney's live-action remakes, he responded: "There is nothing soulless about The Lion King. For decades children have sat in theaters all over the world experiencing collective grief for the first time, engaging Shakespeare for the first time, across aisles in myriad languages. A most potent vessel for communal empathy."

So Jenkins went into Mufasa with his eyes wide open and having fully considered what it means for his career behind the camera. If early reactions are to be believed, then he's pulled off something special as well. While full reviews are still under embargo, Variety's Jazz Tangcay was among those to praise the film on social media, writing that it's a "perfect prequel".

Read more: Mufasa: The Lion King Has Screened, And Critics Are Feeling The Love For This Disney Origin Story (CinemaBlend, 4 min read)

The proof of the pudding will now be in the box office receipts, with Mufasa hoping to dominate the Christmas period and match its predecessor's gargantuan $1.66bn (£1.31m) worldwide haul. And then, eyes turn to what Jenkins will do next. Based on his zig-zag move to make Mufasa, he could have literally anything in store.

Mufasa: The Lion King is in UK cinemas from 20 December.