Mufasa Director Hits Back At Netizens Calling The Film A Part Of Disney’s ‘Soulless Machine’

The first teaser of Mufasa: The Lion King was unveiled on April 29. The prequel to Disney’s popular film The Lion King (2019) is directed by Barry Jenkins and will hit the big screens in December this year. As per the teaser, the film offers an insight into the origin story of the patriarch lion - Mufasa. While the teaser has piqued audience interest in the movie, a section of social media has slammed the maker for falling prey to the ‘soulless machine’ run by Disney. The director took to his social media account to respond to netizens who have criticised the movie. 

‘There is nothing soulless about The Lion King’, says director Barry Jenkins 

On April 29 as soon as the first teaser of Mufasa: The Lion King was unveiled, social media users took to their accounts to share their first review of the same. While there was an overwhelmingly positive response to the prequel, there was some negative chatter as well. One particular post on X (formerly Twitter) caught the attention of director Barry Jenkins. 

A user wrote, “Barry, You’re too good and talented for this Iger’s soulless machine,” referring to the CEO of Disney Bob Iger. The director replied to the user by writing, “There is nothing soulless about The Lion King.” The original 1994 film was based on William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, and referring to the same, the Oscar-winning filmmaker continued, “For decades children have sat in theatres 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.” 

The director’s response triggered another user who mentioned having interviewed him during the premiere of Moonlight and asking the director to accept that he is making such movies just for the paycheck. An irked Jenkins gave a befitting reply to the user by showcasing all other projects he was working on while making Moonlight, the film that won three Academy Awards. He noted a pattern and wrote, “Children have figured prominently in every single one of the projects from Moonlight til' now without exception. Like... BRUH. You can say whatever you want about the film but telling ME that something I SAID about why something is meaningful to me for children is CAP? Nah bruh“

When will Mufasa: The Lion King release? 

The Berry Jenkins directorial is a prequel to the 2019 hit musical film The Lion King has audiences eager to learn the story of young Mufasa and his brother Scar, and how their relationship soured. The official synopsis of the film reads, "Mufasa: The Lion King enlists Rafiki to relay the legend of Mufasa to young lion cub Kiara, daughter of Simba and Nala, with Timon and Pumbaa lending their signature schtick. 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."

Aaron Pierre plays the main character (voiced by James Earl Jones in both previous films), while Kelvin Harrison Jr. plays his brother, Scar (Chiwetel Ejiofor in the 2019 film and Jeremy Irons in the 1994 animated classic). Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen, who played Timon and Pumbaa in Favreau's 2019 film, will reprise their roles. That film grossed $1.7 billion worldwide, making it the highest-grossing Disney-branded film. The film will hit the big screens on December 20.