I Liked Mufasa, But I’m Way More Excited For The Movie Barry Jenkins Will Do Next

While I did like aspects of Mufasa: The Lion King, I am way more excited for Barry Jenkins’ upcoming movie. To me, Jenkins’ directorial vision is one of the key reasons why the film really works visually, allowing Mufasa‘s story to make changes for the better that do not take away from the inherent nostalgia of the original. Jenkins’ ability to add so much complexity to an established property is why I am so excited to see more of his work, especially after seeing how easily he balances a variety of narratives.

Before Mufasa, Jenkins’ focus rested on dramas such as Moonlight and The Fire Inside, earning one Best Director Oscar as he explored more character-driven narratives, each one focusing on some aspect of idenтιтy. Jenkins’ new movie The Natural Order, then, is set to capture those same nuances and combine them with his big-budget film experience from Mufasa. If that is not enough to be excited over, Jenkins is set to highlight one rising star whose recent performances promise to only elevate this storyline further: Glen Powell.

Barry Jenkins Is Directing A Sci-Fi Thriller Starring Glen Powell

The Natural Order Is An Adaptation Of Matt Aldrich’s Unpublished Novel

After the success of Mufasa, Barry Jenkins is set to enter the sci-fi genre with Glen Powell, adding to both of their impressive careers so far. According to ᴅᴇᴀᴅline, Jenkins and Powell have signed on with Universal to adapt The Natural Order, Matt Aldrich’s novel that tells the story of a pursuit for eternal life. This project was one the three had developed for a while before taking it to market, allowing Jenkins the chance to break into the sci-fi genre and for Aldrich to sell the rights to the film before the novel’s publication date.

Powell’s list of films will include another sci-fi entry in the form of the upcoming Stephen King adaptation The Running Man, but his talents have already been widely showcased. His roles in Twisters, Anyone But You, and Hit Man all resulted in box office hits and, in Hit Man‘s case, weeks on Netflix’s top movie lists. Twisters, in fact, had the highest-grossing opening weekend for a natural disaster film ever. That success, combined with Jenkins’ success with Mufasa, which crossed $700 million at the box office, makes their movie collaboration all the more thrilling for audiences.

Barry Jenkins’ Next Movie Is Even More Exciting After Mufasa

Jenkins Gets To Show More Of His Own Style


During a sunset, Eshe watching Mufasa and Taka in Mufasa: The Lion King

Image via Disney

The anticipation behind this upcoming movie by Barry Jenkins has only heightened after his success with Mufasa, as audiences will get the chance to see more of his own directorial style. Even with Mufasa‘s stunning pH๏τorealistic animation and storyline, the film is still a remake, which carries the strict points a prequel needs to hit and limits elements of that narrative, possibly factoring into Mufasa‘s mixed reviews. As a result, any part of a director’s individual style can get stifled in favor of keeping the franchise’s tone consistent.

Though it is an adaptation, Jenkins will have more freedom to explore the themes he has showcased so well before as well as new ones, since sci-fi lends itself to so many fascinating thematic avenues.

By contrast, Jenkins’ new film will allow him to showcase more of the type of storytelling he is known for while also branching into a new genre of film for him. Though it is an adaptation, Jenkins will have more freedom to explore the themes he has showcased so well before as well as new ones, since sci-fi lends itself to so many fascinating thematic avenues. That will allow Jenkins to grow further after Mufasa: The Lion King, demonstrating more of his directorial skills and strong story creation.

Related Posts

Jurᴀssic World Rebirth Already One Of 2025’s Highest-Grossing Movies 5 Days Into Its Box Office Run

Jurᴀssic World Rebirth Already One Of 2025’s Highest-Grossing Movies 5 Days Into Its Box Office Run

Jurᴀssic World Rebirth has had a tremendous global box office debut. The new release is a standalone sequel and the seventh installment in the dinosaur franchise. The…

10 Recent Martial Arts Films That Feel Like Old-School Kung Fu Movies

10 Recent Martial Arts Films That Feel Like Old-School Kung Fu Movies

Martial arts movies have been having a true renaissance as of late, with many recent kung fu movies evoking the great ’70s classics. It’s easy to think…

Guardians Of The Galaxy 3 Makes Groot’s Initial Sacrifice In The Original 2014 Movie So Much More Devastating

Guardians Of The Galaxy 3 Makes Groot’s Initial Sacrifice In The Original 2014 Movie So Much More Devastating

After Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Groot’s death to save his teammates is even more upsetting. Guardians of the Galaxy introduced Marvel’s unlikely family of misfits…

John Wick’s Next Spinoff Has A Major Advantage Over The Franchise’s 5M Disappointment

John Wick’s Next Spinoff Has A Major Advantage Over The Franchise’s $105M Disappointment

The John Wick franchise’s upcoming spinoff could potentially help it recover in a major way after its recent disappointment. The action franchise, which stars Keanu Reeves as…

Movie Fans Divided After Jackie Chan Classic Slapped With Content Warning For “Offensive” Moments

Movie Fans Divided After Jackie Chan Classic Slapped With Content Warning For “Offensive” Moments

Jackie Chan’s Rush Hour (1998) remains a classic buddy cop movie, but it now has a warning about its “offensive” humor. The movie stars Chan (Lee) and…

Michael Keaton’s Only Horror Movie Is A 20-Year-Old Stinker That Tore Up The Box Office Rule Book

Michael Keaton’s Only Horror Movie Is A 20-Year-Old Stinker That Tore Up The Box Office Rule Book

Michael Keaton’s only foray into horror, the 2005 film White Noise, bombed with critics yet had a remarkably huge impact on the box office for other horror…