Disney’s “Mufasa: The Lion King” begins with the voice of James Earl Jones, adopted by a title card that reads, “In Remembrance.”

Jones, who died in September at 93 years outdated, originated the voice of King Mufasa within the 1994 Oscar-winning animated characteristic “The Lion King,” its direct-to-video sequels and the 2019 live-action remake. Jones didn’t return for the prequel, which opens in theaters on Dec. 20.

Barry Jenkins, who helmed “Mufasa,” tells Selection why he determined to open the film with a tribute to the late actor. “Once I take into consideration what James Earl Jones means, not even simply to me, however to international audiences — individuals know this — I grew up with no father determine, and also you go in and also you watch this artwork, you watch these movies, typically these fathers in these films change into a stand-in for that,” he says. “They change into these father figures.”

So, when Jones died, Jenkins explains, “It felt like we had all misplaced a patriarch. We had all misplaced this man who meant a lot. It felt like there was no approach you may sit on this film – undergo an hour and 40 minutes — and never honor him ultimately. You’d be occupied with the methods wherein you needed to honor him, so it felt like we needed to do it on the very entrance. The studio agreed instantly, and we tried to seek out one thing that was quite simple, but additionally very clear and really highly effective.”

On the “Mufasa” premiere in Los Angeles on Monday evening, supervising sound editor Onnalee Clean described Jones’ voice within the movie as “the voice of God.” “It was probably the most stunning issues that we did. To make his voice sound just like the voice of God, like he’s chatting with all of us — it was very becoming and really unhappy.”

The “Lion King” prequel takes place earlier than the occasions of the 2019 live-action photorealistic reimagining. “Mufasa” focuses on the early years of the eventual ruler of the Delight Lands (voiced by Aaron Pierre), in addition to his youthful brother Taka (Kelvin Harrison Jr.), who will ultimately be often called the nefarious Scar.

Reprising their voice roles from the 2019 movie embody Donald Glover as Simba; Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen as Timon and Pumbaa; and Beyoncé Knowles-Carter because the voice of Nala. Her daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, makes her characteristic movie debut by voicing Kiara, Simba and Nala’s daughter.

New forged members embody Tiffany Boone as Sarabi; Kagiso Lediga as Younger Rafiki; Preston Nyman as Zazu; Mads Mikkelsen because the villainous Kiros, a formidable lion with large plans for his satisfaction; Thandiwe Newton as Taka’s mom, Eshe; Lennie James as Taka’s father, Obasi; Anika Noni Rose as Mufasa’s mom, Afia; and Keith David as Mufasa’s father, Masego.

“Mufasa” additionally reunites Jenkins together with his go-to staff of artisans — together with composer Nicholas Britell, editor Joi McMillon and cinematographer James Laxton. Lin-Manuel Miranda penned the movie’s authentic songs, together with “I At all times Wished a Brother,” an up-tempo monitor that underlines the movie’s fraternal themes.

In a current interview with Vulture, Jenkins revealed that he was hesitant about helming a “Lion King” film when Disney approached him in 2020, so he postpone studying the script till his companion Lulu Wang (director of “The Farewell”) requested, “Are you afraid to learn it?”

“I used to be not afraid. I used to be simply skeptical,” Jenkins tells Selection, clarifying this anecdote. “I don’t know why. I simply didn’t think about that the themes in ‘Moonlight’ could be current in Mufasa, that the themes in ‘The Underground Railroad’ could be current in Mufasa, themes in ‘Drugs for Melancholy,’ the issues which can be wealthy for me and tales and characters. However that was so naive, as a result of I bear in mind watching the unique ‘Lion King’ and seeing a lot deep, wealthy terrain.”

Credit score to Wang — who married Jenkins following this interview on the movie’s press junket on Friday — for her prompting, as Jenkins shortly discovered the identical could possibly be stated for the “Mufasa” screenplay by Jeff Nathanson (2019’s “The Lion King,” “Catch Me If You Can”).

“If I stated to you, ‘I’m making a movie a couple of younger baby [who] has this biblical expertise with water after which he will get separated from his mother and father and has to go on a journey to seek out himself. I could possibly be speaking about ‘Moonlight’, or I could possibly be speaking about ‘Mufasa,’” Jenkins remembers. “Studying the script, that was so clear. Then it was about, ‘Now, what are you afraid of?’”