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Disney confirms sequel to Lion King live-action remake
1 October 2020, 11:51 | Updated: 2 October 2020, 08:32
The Lion King live action remake will get a sequel after it grossed £1.2billion last year.
Disney fans rejoice, because a sequel to the Lion King remake has been given the green light.
There will be a new director in the form of Moonlight’s Barry Jenkins who will lead the much-anticipated follow-up.
While it's not known when production will start, much like the first, there will be a strong focus on music.
In a statement, Barry said: "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 fans of the film are equally as happy, with one Tweeting: “Yes!!! Now I am so excited for a sequel!!”
“BARRY JENKINS, THE INDEPENDENT FILMMAKER IS DIRECTING THE LION KING SEQUEL? IM EXCITED BUT WHAT?,” said another.
While there has been no official word on what story the sequel will tell, it will not follow the story of the second cartoon ‘Simba’s Pride’, which was released in 1998.
First proper look at Beyoncé as Nala in Disney's remake of The Lion King
This focused on Simba’s daughter and the bitter feud between his pride and their rivals led by the friend of nemesis Scar.
According to Deadline, the second live action remake will instead explore the mythology of the characters and Mufasa’s origin.
It has also been compared to The Godfather: Part II as it will look into the past while moving the story forward.
The 2019 live-action remake of Lion King was a huge success and generated over £1.2 billion at the global box office.
And directors managed to sign up a star-studded cast that included Donald Glover as Simba, Beyoncé as Nala and Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen as Timon and Pumbaa.
It was also supported by the Beyonce album, The Lion King: The Gift, which featured majority African artists.
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