‘Mufasa’ Director Barry Jenkins Reacts to Fans Claiming He’s ‘Too Talented’ for Disney’s ‘Soulless Machine’: ‘There’s Nothing Soulless’ About ‘The Lion King’
Bienvenidos, amigos! Let’s talk about something that's been buzzing in the cine community lately. Barry Jenkins, the brilliant director behind the Oscar-winning “Moonlight,” recently shared some words of fire in response to critics doubtful about his latest project—“Mufasa: The Lion King”. Este proyecto, amigos, it’s not just any project. It's a corazón-felt continuation of a story that has touched millions around the globe.
El primer trailer de “Mufasa” was dropped on X (you know, the artist formerly known as Twitter) this Monday, and vaya, did it get the people talking! While muchos fans were thrilled, some threw shade, questioning why a filmmaker of Jenkins’ caliber would join hands with what they called "Iger’s soulless machine." But let me tell you, Jenkins was not having it. He clapped back with the passion we know him for.
“There is nothing soulless about ‘The Lion King,’” Jenkins stated, defending the iconic story. For decades, youngsters and their familias have filled up seats in theaters worldwide, absorbing the profound themes of loss, love, and legacy—conversations typically reserved for the very best of Shakespeare, understood here across different cultures and languages. “A most potent vessel for communal empathy,” he described. And isn’t that the verdad?
One commenter brought up an old interview from when “Moonlight” shone at the Toronto International Film Festival back in 2016, claiming the Barry Jenkins of today had gone off-track. Pero, here's where Jenkins brings the salsa! He retorted that his vision has always been clear, showing off videos he created during the “Moonlight” era, emphasizing that niños have always been central to his storytelling. “Bruh, what kind of logic is that?” he quipped, turning the tables with a sprinkle of humor.
In a recent chinwag with Empire, Jenkins opened more about stepping into the megaworld of Disney's film franchises. Some fans worry—he may lose his unique voice in such grand scales. Pero, Jenkins sees it differently. “When you step into a world that already exists, it can be easy to assume that freedom is denied,” he shared. Yet, he believes in crafting his own freedom, ensuring what he creates today will resonate just as authentically años from now.
He drew a beautiful picture saying, “A friend once said to me, ‘You’ve done the thing you set out to do when, 10 years on, you can put the film up on the wall and point to it and go, ‘There, that’s where I am.’”
So mis amigos, while we sip our cafecitos and let the aroma fill our senses, let’s not rush to judgement. “Mufasa: The Lion King” is set to premiere in theaters this December 20, and it promises to be a story sewn with the threads of emotive storytelling and cultural reverence that only someone like Barry could stitch together. Whether you're a fan of big screen majesties or indie film delicacies, this tale’s going to be one for the books porque, en el mundo del cine, every story told with corazón is one worth experiencing. ¡Nos vemos en el cine!
