Mufasa: The Lion Kingdirector Barry Jenkins settles the debate regarding whether the upcoming film and 2019’sThe Lion Kingare live-action or animation. Serving as a prequel to Jon Favreau’sThe Lion Kingremake,Mufasachronicles the origins of Simba’s fatheras he meets a kind lion named Taka, a royal heir, before embarking on an epic adventure. BothThe Lion Kingremake andMufasacome as Disney releases new live-action remakes of its animated classics, and there has been a debate about whether these two films count as live-action considering they are told entirely using CGI.
In a recent interview withGamesRadar+andTotal Film,Jenkins weighs in on this debate aboutThe Lion KingandMufasa, saying definitively that neither film is live-action. According to the director, the use of CGI and the work that the animators are doing to bring characters like Mufasa to life make it very clear which medium the film is in. Check out Jenkins' comment below:
“Absolutely, yeah, it’s an animated film. I am communicating constantly with these animators who are trying to manipulate these somewhat photorealistic sort of models in a way that is expressive. And so because of that, I don’t think of it as live action. I do think of it as animation. It’s just a very different tool.
What Mufasa’s Animation Approach Means For The Franchise
The Prequel Is Poised To Be A Major Success
BothMufasaandThe Lion Kingoccupy unique places in Disney’s larger output. Recently, the company has released live-actionremakes ofThe Little Mermaid,Peter Pan, andPinocchio, to varying degrees of success. The appeal of these movies is that they’re recreating these classic tales using real actors and, sometimes, real environments. The remakes are more “real.“MufasaandThe Lion Kingdo this too, butthey’re both constrained to animation due to the subject matter.
6 Reasons Mufasa’s Prequel Will Be Better Than The Live-Action Lion King
Mufasa: The Lion King will explore his origins as king of the Pride Lands and his relationship with Scar, and it could be better than the 2019 remake.
2019’sThe Lion Kingmay have a 51% onRotten Tomatoes, but it was a major success at the box office, grossing $1.656 billion worldwide. This makes it Disney’s highest-grossing remake of all time by a sizable margin.Clearly, audiences, especially younger viewers, are enjoying this animation approach, and the movie’s success is undoubtedly whyMufasagot the green light. It’s very likely that the upcoming prequel will achieve a similar level of success when it hits theaters in December.
TheMufasavoice castfeatures Aaron Pierre as Mufasa, Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Taka, Seth Rogen as Pumbaa, Billy Eichner as Timon, John Kani as Rafiki, Mads Mikkelsen as Kiros, Donald Glover as Simba, and Beyoncé as Nala, among others.
Our Take On Mufasa’s Animation
Both The 2D & 3D Approaches Are Deserving Of Celebration
The originalLion Kingis told in Disney’s classic 2D, hand-drawn animation style, while the remake andMufasafeature 3D CGI animation designed to look more photoreal. There’s a great deal of artistry involved in both approaches, butone particular challenge facing the photoreal look is, as Jenkins' suggests, modulating how expressive these lions and other animals can be in a manner that still feels realistic.
Although one could argue that 2019’sThe Lion Kingdoesn’t need to exist since it just retells the story of the original, the actual CG animation is undoubtedly impressive and worthy of praise.Mufasa: The Liong Kinghas an interesting opportunity to once again push boundaries in terms of its animation while also offering up a new story that viewers aren’t familiar with. If it succeeds,it could end up being better than 2019’sThe Lion King.
Mufasa: The Lion King
Cast
Mufasa: The Lion King explores the origins of the beloved character Mufasa, focusing on his youth as a lost cub who encounters Taka, a royal heir. Their meeting initiates an epic journey of self-discovery and destiny, featuring a group of misfit companions navigating the challenges of their world.
