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'The Lion King' to get a sequel from 'Moonlight' director Barry Jenkins

The Lion King (Credit: Disney)
The Lion King (Credit: Disney)

Barry Jenkins, the Oscar-winning director of Moonlight, is to board a sequel to Disney's 2019 remake of The Lion King.

Though details of the movie are currently being kept under wraps, it's said that it will continue to story of Simba's ascension to the throne, while also looking back at the origin story of his father Mufasa, in Godfather II style.

According to Deadline, the movie will use the same CGI tech that director Jon Favreau used in his movie, and which was also used in the remake of The Jungle Book in 2016.

“Helping my sister raise two young boys during the ’90s, I grew up with these characters,” said Jenkins.

Barry Jenkins llega a la 77ma entrega anual de los Globos de Oro, el 5 de enero del 2020 en Beverly Hills, California. The Walt Disney Co. produce una secuela de "The Lion King" de 2019 con Jenkins como director. (Foto por Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, Archivo)
Barry Jenkins (Credit: Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

“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.”

The CGI remake featured a dazzling voice cast including Beyonce, Donald Glover, Seth Rogen and Chiwetel Ejiofor.

And though it debuted to lukewarm reviews, it still made a hulking $1.6 billion at the worldwide box office.

Watch: The Lion King trailer below...

Jeff Nathanson, who penned the remake, along with movies like Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar's Revenge and Catch Me If You Can, will be back on board to write the sequel.

Jenkins was catapulted to worldwide notoriety with the powerful coming-of-age drama Moonlight in 2016, which won the Oscar for Best Picture. It was only his second feature.

Jenkins' partner, fellow director Lulu Wang, celebrated the news appropriately.