Thirty years after the original animated classic first hit theaters and five years after its live action remake packed theatres again, The Lion King franchise is taking us on another trip to Africa. Disney and director Barry Jenkins are about to roll out their much-anticipated prequel Mufasa: The Lion King, and fan response to the trailer and marketing materials has been extremely positive, especially about the visual wonder of it all.
It turns out fans aren’t the only ones feeling that wonder either. As part of our partnership with AMC Theatres, CinemaBlend sent a camera crew to IMAX’s headquarters to interview Mufasa: The Lion King’s Editor Joi McMillon, ACE, and it turns out she’s just as in awe of the film as the rest of us. She told us that sometimes she’d be editing the movie and find herself marveling at how realistic it all looks.
Sometimes you’re watching it and you’re like, ‘Wow, this is digitally created?’ I feel like I can reach out and touch Mufasa.
It was digitally created, and it’s perhaps the most striking evidence yet that the days of uncanny valley in 3D animation are mostly in the past, at least for movies like Mufasa. The animals and elaborate set pieces look so realistic, and that even holds when they’re taken outside of tranquil surroundings and dropped into more of a traditional action sequence. In fact, fans will be pleased by how many ‘epic’ scenes there are in the movie.
Just like the beloved original with the stampede scene that’s still so memorable for so many of us, Mufasa: The Lion King did not hold back just because something was complicated to animate. McMillon told us there are a bunch of “very cool chase sequences” that make you feel as if you’re right alongside the animals in Africa. Those who worked on the movie can’t wait for fans to see them on the big screen, which is why, not surprisingly, they’re recommending people see the movie in IMAX. Here’s a portion of her quote…
Some of the expressions and close-ups make you feel like you’re right there in Africa with the lions… One of the things I loved about working on this film was the epic action sequences. There are some very cool chase sequences, and for a journey like Mufasa, seeing it in IMAX in the theater, that’s where you want to be. Not only just the camera angles but the lighting, the music. Lin-Manuel Miranda created some incredible songs, and I will say that those moments in the movie are epic set pieces.
When most people think about IMAX, they think about the crisp visuals and incredible sound, but it’s not surprising that McMillon also pointed to the music. IMAX has been open about how much work they’ve put into perfecting the sound design, and all that forward progress is particularly obvious in a movie like Mufasa: The Lion King because it uses sound design in so many ways. There’s the bombast you’d expect from all the chase sequences. There’s the fragile clarity from its more emotional conversations, and there’s the sonic beauty of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s music. It has all of it.
You can experience that wonder for yourself when Mufasa: The Lion King hits theatres on December 20th, and as McMillon said, there’s no better way to experience it than in IMAX at an AMC Theatre.
