'Moonlight' Director Shuts Down Fans Who Said He's 'Too Good' To Direct 'Lion King' Prequel

@BarryJenkins Barry, You're too good and talented for this Iger's soulless machine.

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@midereres_k There is nothing soulless about The Lion King. For decades children have sat in theaters all over the world experiencing collective grief for the first time, engaging Shakespeare for the first time, across aisles in myriad languages. A most potent vessel for communal empathy.

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@BarryJenkins @midereres_k Come on man. I interviewed you when you premiered Moonlight at TIFF, and that Barry Jenkins wouldn\u2019t have said what you just said. \n\nYou can do a Disney movie for the check, in order to work on your passion projects at a later time, but you don\u2019t have to shill like this.

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@NobleQAli @midereres_k Bruh what kind of logic is that? \n\nHow about this, here are a few videos from the "same Barry Jenkins who premiered Moonlight" (as you put it) showing some of the things I was doing in my spare time AT THE SAME TIME I was writing Moonlight. \n\nHere we go:

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@NobleQAli @midereres_k https://t.co/ygR8aD56Q1\n\nA cross country call and response with an elementary school class in Philly about storytelling and filmmaking

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@NobleQAli @midereres_k https://t.co/smgVtOkEj3\n\nA Haunted House short film I supervised the production of for an afterschool Skate Club in San Francisco because the kids wanted to make a movie (THIS was a fantastic shoot!)

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@NobleQAli @midereres_k https://t.co/l9N7GC5taF\n\nA wedding video I made with those same kids when they couldn't travel to attend the wedding of one of their most beloved instructors (man I wonder where these kids are now)

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@NobleQAli @midereres_k https://t.co/aGn7kFJiAE\n\nAnd that time I took a gig because it seemed fun to throw forty or so tenth birthday parties all over the world (and this one was shot by the same DP as GLASS and US, my buddy Mike Gioulakis)

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@NobleQAli @midereres_k Children have figured prominently in every single one of the projects from Moonlight til' now without exception. Like... BRUH. \n\nYou can say whatever you want about the film but telling ME that something I SAID about why something is meaningful to me for children is CAP? Nah bruh

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@BarryJenkins @midereres_k Be encouraged sir. Twitter has become the armpit of the uncivilized and the voice of hate and bigotry. You can do no right in their eyes!!! Keep going and doing great things!!!

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@BarryJenkins @midereres_k Lion King was the first movie I saw. I\u2019m black and grew up in Sweden.\n\nSeeing a story about a special kid/cub in Africa finding himself in the wilderness had a tremendous effect on me. \n\nYou keep up the good work. Nobody has to get it but you and the kid it will move. \n\nBless

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@BarryJenkins @midereres_k Mr. Jenkins, I'm one of the people EAGERLY awaiting this movie. I'm really liking what I see in the teaser. What they mean by soulless is that the 2019 Lion King's animation is soulless especially when COMPARED to the '94 original. non-emotive compared to what it could've been.

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@BarryJenkins @midereres_k I love this response. As someone who loves small films, and art house movies, I have been moved emotionally by many Disney movies. These are not two different industries. This is film, it can be good or bad, it can make us laugh or cry. I can't wait to see what you have created

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@BarryJenkins @midereres_k Well said, @BarryJenkins!\n\ud83d\udc4f\ud83c\udffe\ud83d\udc4f\ud83c\udffe\ud83d\udc4f\ud83c\udffe\ud83d\udc4f\ud83c\udffe\ud83d\udc4f\ud83c\udffe\ud83d\udc4f\ud83c\udffe\ud83d\udc4f\ud83c\udffe\n\nI loved the original Lion King film, loved the 2019 remake, and can't wait to see your next chapter in the story that has resonated so profoundly with myself and countless others the world over.\n\u2764\ufe0f\ud83e\udd81\ud83d\udc51

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@BarryJenkins @midereres_k Let this man eat. He'll take the Disney money and make more great films. That's how the machine is supposed to work.

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The cheek of trying to tell Barry Jenkins what to do professionally....

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Well said @BarryJenkins.

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Barry\u2026you did not have to respond to this. The movie is going to be a box office hit regardless of what people think. \u2764\ufe0f

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The fact that director Barry Jenkins is speaking out against all of y'all overly-harsh criticisms of the movie just proves how immature Film Twitter is sometimes. Like I'm now a little bit interested to see Mufasa's past and to see what Jenkins is bringing with this movie

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Film Twitter may lament Barry Jenkins directing Mufasa: The Lion King instead of an indie film, but believing THEY know better than an Oscar-winning filmmaker what kind of films he should be making when he's been VERY clear this IS a project he's passionate about is truly absurd.

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A lion who would change our lives forever.\n\n#Mufasa: The Lion King, in theaters December 20.

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