*Director Barry Jenkins responded to criticism on social media this week regarding his involvement in the Disney live-action prequel “Mufasa: The Lion King,” defending his involvement in the project.
After Jenkins posted the trailer on X (formerly Twitter), a user commented, “Barry, You’re too good and talented for this Iger’s soulless machine,” referring to Disney CEO Bob Iger.
“There is nothing soulless about ‘The Lion King,’” Jenkins replied. “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.”
Another commenter said he interviewed Jenkin when his acclaimed film “Moonlight” premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2016 and noted: “that Barry Jenkins wouldn’t have said what you just said.”
“You can do a Disney movie for the check, in order to work on your passion projects at a later time, but you don’t have to shill like this,” the X user continued, to which Jenkins replied, “Bruh what kind of logic is that? How about this, here are a few videos from the ‘same Barry Jenkins who premiered “Moonlight”’ (as you put it) showing some of the things I was doing in my spare time AT THE SAME TIME I was writing ‘Moonlight.’”
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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.
— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) April 29, 2024
Jenkins then listed several projects he was working on during the production of “Moonlight.” You can read his Twitter thread here.
Meanwhile, Disney’s “Mufasa: The Lion King” boasts an all-star cast that includes Thandiwe Newton, Anika Noni Rose, Donald Glover, Beyoncé, and her daughter Blu Ivy Carter. The film “explores the unlikely rise of the beloved king of the Pride Lands,” per the news release.
Here’s the synopsis: “Told in flashbacks, the story introduces Mufasa as an orphaned cub, lost and alone, until he meets a sympathetic lion named Taka—the heir to a royal bloodline. The chance meeting sets in motion an expansive journey of an extraordinary group of misfits searching for their destiny—their bonds will be tested as they work together to evade a threatening and deadly foe.”
Celebrated award-winning songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote the film’s songs.
Below is the list of new and returning cast members lending their voices to the Barry Jenkins-directed film:
- Aaron Pierre as Mufasa
- Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Taka, a lion prince with a bright future who accepts Mufasa into his family as a brother
- Tiffany Boone as Sarabi
- Kagiso Lediga as Young Rafiki
- Preston Nyman as Zazu
- Mads Mikkelsen as Kiros, a formidable lion with big plans for his pride
- Thandiwe Newton as Taka’s mother, Eshe
- Lennie James as Taka’s father, Obasi
- Anika Noni Rose as Mufasa’s mother, Afia
- Keith David as Mufasa’s father, Masego
- John Kani as Rafiki
- Seth Rogen as Pumbaa
- Billy Eichner as Timon
- Donald Glover as Simba
- Introducing Blue Ivy Carter as Kiara, daughter of King Simba and Queen Nala
- And Beyoncé Knowles-Carter as Nala
According to the release, additional casting includes Braelyn Rankins, Theo Somolu, Folake Olowofoyeku, Joanna Jones, Thuso Mbedu, Sheila Atim, Abdul Salis, and Dominique Jennings.
“Mufasa: The Lion King” will be released theatrically on Dec. 20.
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