Almost as an aside, he announced, Oh, yeah I got married on Saturday.
Jenkins explained to Deadline that in our film, Mufasa and Taka arent blood relatives.
Taka comes from a royal bloodline.
Front left: Lebo M, Barry Jenkins (front), Preston Nyman, Anika Noni Rose, Mads Mikkelsen and Tiffany BoonePhoto Baz Bamigboye/Deadline
His father, Obasi, the leader of his pride, voiced by Lennie James, spoils the cub.
Meanwhile, young Mufasa goes hunting with the lioness Eshe, who is Obasis mate and Takas mother.
In a sense, Mufasas the complete antithesis of idle Taka.
‘Mufasa: The Lion King’Walt Disney Studios
The entire film was workshopped with a troupe of actors who would not be further involved with the project.
The film opens with a flood that wouldnt be out of place in a summer action movie.
Jenkins told us that when Disney approached him about directingMufasa, he thought theyd tapped the wrong man.
Im the indie drama guy, he told them.
So they let me lean in, and I leaned all the way.
One addition to his own household helped him understand how an animal might react in any given situation.
Jenkins smiled and said: I got a dog for the first time.
The mutts arrival coincided with him sitting down and reading the script for the first time.
And my dog looks like a couple of these characters in this film.
And just watching him grow up literally on the same clock as we made this film, he said.
And so Ive watched him grow, and you’re free to see theres a life in there.
There are emotions in there.
His dog helped him understand that animals even lions have a heart, they have emotions.
Hes very moody, very intense.
I believe hes got Scorpio energy, I like to say.
Fascinating that a canine should have a major influence on the emotional center of a major movie about lions.
Jenkins collaborated closely with Lin-Manuel Miranda, who penned the films songs.
ForMufasa, he worked with the South African Gospel Choir.
One number sung by Mufasa and Taka has a melody thats used as a leitmotif throughout the film.
Its a gripping sound, and grips you just as the movies story does.
Jenkins described the animated process forMufasaas live-action animation.
Disney will release the action-packed movie in U.S. theaters on December 20.
