Mufasa The Lion King Director Interview: Legacy Of James Earl Jones & If That Was Really Mads Mikkelsen Singing

Courtesy of The Walt Disney Company Malaysia, we were given the opportunity to interview Barry Jenkins, the director of the upcoming Mufasa The Lion King.

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.

Mufasa The Lion King explores the unlikely rise of the beloved king of the Pride Lands. The film has an all-star roster of talent bringing new and fan-favourite characters to life, plus, celebrated award-winning songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda is writing the film’s songs produced by Mark Mancina and Miranda, with additional music and performances by Lebo M.

Blending live-action filmmaking techniques with photoreal computer-generated imagery, Mufasa The Lion King is directed by Barry Jenkins, produced by Adele Romanski & Mark Ceryak, and executive produced by Peter Tobyansen.

You can head on over here for our full review of the movie.

Check out the video interview here (scroll below for the written version of the interview):

The following interview has been edited for clarity.

What did you look for in the new voice of Mufasa and why did you think Aaron Pierre was a good choice to replace the late James Earl Jones?

Barry Jenkins: Yeah, I was looking for someone who could just be present. You know, the goal wasn’t about trying to find a voice that you thought could become the voice of James Earl Jones because what I think I loved about the script was, there wasn’t a straight path to the young Mufasa becoming this great king that we experienced in 1994 through James Earl Jones. It was actually the opposite, there were all these things that happened, ou know, that he learned from in this way that helped him become the person that he is.

And so, it was great for me to sort of free all the actors up who auditioned for the part and go, you’re not trying to be James Earl Jones because that is impossible. You know, instead, you just have to be the most authentic version of this person trying to find their way in the world.

Now, Aaron does have a very deep voice. There’s one moment in the film where I allowed him to try and sound exactly like James Earl Jones. I won’t tell you which moment it is. But otherwise, it’s just about him owning the character and just being present. And Aaron gave a really great audition.

How do you think the movie celebrates the legacy of James Earl Jones?

Barry Jenkins: I think, one, this character that we’ve known for so many years, 30 years actually. In the original film, you really get to experience only a few days of Mufasa’s life and yet, you come away with this overwhelming impression of this really wonderful king, this really wonderful father.

I think the film honours his legacy by showing all the very rich ways how that great father, that great leader, was earned. By showing someone who was responsive to the teachings of his parents, who was very open to the lessons he learned from his community. I think Mr. James Earl Jones would really respond to that, I felt it was a really wonderful way to honour his legacy.

What would you say is your favourite song in the movie and was that really Mads Mikkelsen singing as Kiros? I don’t think many people knew he can sing.

Barry Jenkins: *laughs* I love all the songs, that was really Mads Mikkelsen singing, that’s him. We found video of Mads singing as a very young person, I think he was like maybe 20 or 21 at a talent show. That’s how we knew that he could sing the song.

My favourite are all the songs. No, my favourite song is Milele. The song sung by Mufasa’s parents. They’re all really wonderful songs, but we all have a different personal connection to the things that we hear and that one just really touched me.

Mufasa The Lion King premieres in Malaysian cinemas on 19 December 2024.