'The Lion King: The Legend of Mufasa' director hits back at social media critics

Director Barry Jenkins, best known for his Oscar-winning Moonlight, recently defended the upcoming The Lion King: The Legend of Mufasa movie, which just released its first trailer and is both a prequel and a sequel.

Jenkins responded to a post on social media that called the film just another cog in Disney CEO Bob Iger's "soulless machine" and said the director was "too good and too talented" to direct "The Lion King: The Legend of Mufasa." Jenkins responded: "There is nothing soulless about The Lion King. For decades, children around the world have collectively experienced their first grief in a cinema, their first exposure to Shakespeare, transcending language barriers and feeling the same story in different languages. It is an important vehicle for inspiring collective empathy."

It may come as a surprise that Jenkins is directing The Lion King: The Legend of Mufasa, as this is his first return to directing since 2018's If Beale Street Could Talk. Prior to that, he directed 2016's Moonlight, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture. However, Jenkins announced his involvement in the prequel to The Lion King back in 2020. The Lion King: The Legend of Mufasa is both a prequel and a sequel to the 2019 live-action The Lion King.

Disney released the trailer for The Lion King: The Legend of Mufasa earlier this week. Aaron Pierre voices Mufasa. The film will also see the return of Seth Rogen as Pumbaa, Billy Eichner as Timon, and John Kenny as Rafiki. Donald Glover and Beyoncé are also reportedly returning as Simba and Nala, respectively.