The Farewell director Lulu Wang confirms her partner Barry Jenkins' involvement with The Lion King 2 with a hilarious and fitting video. In 2019, Disney's live-action remake craze reached new heights with the arrival of The Lion King, which fit within the trend despite using CGI to bring its characters to life. The new Lion King was a near-identical remake of the classic 1994 film, as both told the story of young cub Simba as embarks on a journey to becoming his kingdom's leader. The Lion King wasn't a huge critical success, but it grossed over a $1 billion worldwide.
Because of that, Disney is moving forward with a sequel. Earlier on Tuesday, news broke that The Lion King 2 is currently in development, with Moonlight director Jenkins attached. Jeff Nathanson, who wrote the script for The Lion King, will return for this installment. It's said that The Lion King 2 will be a prequel focusing on the origins of Simba's father Mufasa. Beyond that, very little is known about the project, leaving fans to merely bask in the surprise of the announcement.
Wang got in on the Lion King 2 fun with a funny post to social media. As Jenkins' partner, she likely knew this was coming for some time, which is why she chose to simply confirm the news with a very fitting video. With the opening to "Circle of Life" playing, Wang lifts her dog into the air in the same way baby Simba was presented to the animal kingdom. Clearly, the spirit of The Lion King is alive and well in their house. Check it out below.
The Lion King 2 won't be the first sequel to a live-action remake Disney has announced, as fellow 2019 movie Aladdin has a second installment on the way. Nevertheless, it's still rather surprising that The Lion King is getting a follow-up. While the animated film received its own direct-to-video sequel, The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, this movie won't use that story. Things are now moving into unknown territory.
On the other hand, this could be a good thing. Disney's live-action remakes have been criticized for simply redoing well-known stories, but The Lion King 2 can provide an original tale within a familiar world. Beyond that, Jenkins is an acclaimed director, having wowed audiences with films like Moonlight and If Beale Street Could Talk. He could be the perfect person to handle The Lion King 2 and turn it into something really special. Wang certainly seems enthusiastic about Jenkins' new job, so perhaps others should be too.
Source: Lulu Wang/Twitter