This article contains or pertains to a confirmed future release. As the release date of the product approaches and more information becomes available, the content of the article may change dramatically.
Helping my sister raise two young boys during the '90s, I grew up with these characters. Having the opportunity to work with Disney on expanding this magnificent tale of friendship, love and legacy while furthering my work chronicling the lives and souls of folk within the African diaspora is a dream come true.
. . . And 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. What really pushed me across the line was James, my DP, said, “You know what? There’s something really interesting in this mode of filmmaking that we haven’t done and that not many people have done.” That was when I went back to the powers that be and said, “I would love to do this, but I’ve got to be able to do what I do.” And they said yes!
The film was officially announced by Deadline Hollywood on September 29, 2020. It was reported that Barry Jenkins will serve as director, Jeff Nathanson will reprise his role as writer, and Adele Romanski and Mark Ceryak will serve as producers. The sequel's story will expand on the franchise's mythology and explore Mufasa's origins while still featuring an adventure set in the present, in a structure similar to that of The Godfather Part II. A release date has yet to be announced.[1]
On May 8, 2021, it was announced that the working title of the film was Wonderwall. It was also announced that production for the film would officially begin in Los Angeles on September 6, 2021.[2]
Casting
On May 8, 2021, it was announced that Disney was having a casting call for actors to play young Mufasa and Scar.[2] In addition, it was revealed that seven new characters would be added to the cast: Adah, Horatio, Elijah, Celia, Kaliban, Cardi, and Zola.[2] On August 26, 2021, it was announced that Aaron Pierre had been cast as a young Mufasa, while Kelvin Harrison Jr. had been cast as a young Taka.[3]
Visual effects
MPC Film announced on December 9, 2020, that they will be returning to provide the VFX effects for the prequel.[4]
