Mufasa director gets surprisingly candid and says the kind of filmmaking he used on the Disney movie is "not my thing"

mufasa the lion king — (Image credit: Walt Disney Pictures)

Mufasa's Barry Jenkins says he's keen to "work the other way again" after directing the CGI-heavy prequel to The Lion King.

In a new interview with Vulture, the Moonlight helmer opened up on the challenges of shooting an all-virtual movie and explained why he prefers a more traditional approach to storytelling.

Set long before Simba scoffed bugs with Timon and Pumbaa and reclaimed Pride Rock, Mufasa: The Lion King introduces the titular big cat as an orphaned cub, who's chance encounter with royal heir Taka sets him on an extraordinary path. Rebel Ridge's Aaron Pierre voices Mufasa, while Mads Mikkelsen, Thandiwe Newton, John Kani, Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner, and Kelvin Harrison Jr., round out the supporting cast.

"It is not my thing," he reflected on the filmmaking process candidly. "I want to work the other way again, where I want to physically get everything there. I always believe that what is here is enough, and let me just figure out what is the chemistry to make alchemy? How can these people, this light, this environment, come together to create an image that is moving, that is beautiful, that creates a text that is deep enough, dense enough, rich enough to speak to someone?"

Mufasa: The Lion King releases on December 20. For more, check out our picks of the most exciting upcoming movies heading our way.

I am an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering all things TV and film across our Total Film and SFX sections. Elsewhere, my words have been published by the likes of Digital Spy, SciFiNow, PinkNews, FANDOM, Radio Times, and Total Film magazine.