Well, get ready to witness the magic of ‘Lion King’ in a whole new way as Mufasa: The Lion King’s first teaser trailer was recently dropped (April 29). And we got to learn that Hamilton star Lin-Manuel Miranda is in charge of the soundtrack for the live-action animated prequel to The Lion King.
The songwriter-actor, 44, composed the music for a number of films and TV shows, including Moana and Encanto, to refer a few. Not to mention making physical appearances in Mary Poppins Returns, 200 Cartas, and other flicks.
And after a quieter few years, Barry Jenkins’ Mufasa: The Lion King brings him back under the familiar roof of The Walt Disney Company. While the fact that the composer of some of Disney’s most popular hits is returning to the studio is not appalling in and of itself, it is surprising to hear that his relationship with Jenkins is a contributing factor in his decision.
Having said that, there is a connection that dates back several years, when Jenkins was on the verge of casting Miranda in If Beale Street Could Talk, which was honored with an Academy Award.
A Look Back: Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Near Miss with Barry Jenkins’ Film
Barry Jenkins, according to Empire, “almost cast” Lin-Manuel Miranda in If Beale Street Could Talk, and the two remained in contact over the years. When it came to making Mufasa: The Lion King, Miranda was the one who could help Jenkins realize his vision of the songs, feeling like they were perfectly woven into the plot. The director shared with the outlet:
“We wanted to really find a balance of symbiosis between the music and the film. Lin really leaned in and tried to find the places that myself and Jeff Nathanson, the writer of the script, had tried to go deeper into the background of some of these characters in this film. He did a really, really wonderful job, and he and I already had something of a rapport.”
However, Empire didn’t make it apparent what character Miranda might have been considered for. If Beale Street Could Talk, which was based on James Baldwin’s 1974 novel of the same title, starred KiKi Layne, Stephan James, Colman Domingo, Diego Luna, Pedro Pascal, Ed Skrein, Brian Tyree Henry, and Regina King among its ensemble cast members.
Despite everything else that went into making his upcoming adventure animated musical, Jenkins is incredibly grateful to the Hamilton actor, in particular, who is in charge of the songs.
Mufasa: The Lion King: Barry Jenkins’ Appreciation for Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Contribution
Director Barry Jenkins approached directing musicals with extreme caution prior to taking on Mufasa: The Lion King. Yet he was aware of how he wanted to smoothly combine the musical and narrative elements in this musical prequel. In the same interview with Empire, the director, 44, opened up about these exact plans for this much-awaited epic project, saying:
“We wanted to really find a balance of symbiosis between the music and the film.”
The brilliant mind of Lin-Manuel Miranda, the actor/songwriter who portrayed Alexander Hamilton in Thomas Kail’s critically acclaimed flick Hamilton, assisted him in executing the musical portion of this plan with ease. Jenkins said the following about Miranda’s work in the Empire interview:
“Lin really leaned in and tried to find the places that myself and Jeff Nathanson, the writer of the script, had tried to go deeper into the background of some of these characters in this film.”
In fact, the filmmaker was so full of praise for the songwriter afterward because of how “wonderful” his work was, as Jenkins stated:
“He did a really, really wonderful job, and he and I already had something of a rapport.”
It goes without saying that Miranda’s contribution to Jenkins’ soon-to-be-released film has him completely smitten. It is getting harder to wait for the film’s release to see all of this incredible talent on the big screen, based on what we have heard about Jenkins’ upcoming project thus far.
Mufasa: The Lion King will open in theaters on December 20, 2024.
