The Lion King Release Date, Cast, Plot, And More Details

Surprisingly, Barry Jenkins, who co-won the Oscar for adapting «Moonlight,» won’t be penning the upcoming «The Lion King» prequel. Instead, the film is written by Jeff Nathanson, who previously wrote the 2019 Jon Favreau-directed remake. Nathanson’s other screenwriting credits include Disney’s «Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales» and Steven Spielberg’s «Catch Me If You Can.» 

While speaking with EW, Jenkins praised the direction Nathanson was taking «The Lion King» mythos. «And I thought the studio and Jeff Nathanson, who wrote the script, did a great job of really exploring how people become great, how people come to be these mythic figures we look up to,» Jenkins said, expressing his enthusiasm for Mufasa’s origins. 

The upcoming Disney film will notably be produced by Adele Romanski and Mark Ceryak, two of Jenkins’ frequent collaborators. Romanski has produced a number of Jenkins’ works throughout the years, including the Best Picture-winning «Moonlight» and «If Beale Street Could Talk.» Ceryak also served as an executive producer on «Beale Street» and the miniseries «The Underground Railroad.»

It’s fantastic that Jenkins was able to bring his frequent collaborators on board for what is, ostensibly, his Hollywood blockbuster debut. While speaking at IFP Week 2017 (via Filmmaker Magazine), Romanski opened up about her creative partnership with Jenkins. «I can’t emphasize enough the importance of having someone in your corner who you trust,» the future «Mufasa» producer said.