‘Mufasa’ is coming to theaters on December 20th, and we had the opportunity to sit down with Lin-Manuel Miranda, Seth Rogan, Barry Jenkins, and Billy Eichner ahead of the release to get the inside scoop on what it was like to create the soundtrack for the film, work with Blue Ivy, and more!

Tetris Kelly:

Hey, it’s Tetris with Billboard News here at San Diego Safari Park at Press Day for ‘Mufasa.’ I’m talking to the cast and creators about the roaring prequel. This was director Barry Jenkins, first time with a musical, and he linked up with Disney favorite, Lin Manuel Miranda.

Lin-Manuel Miranda:

Barry’s a musical storyteller. I mean, you feel the music in ‘Beale Street.’ You feel it in ‘Moonlight.’ So his notes always made my songs better. He was very clear about what he wanted. And so I signed on because I knew I’d learn a lot from him. 

Tetris Kelly:

And of course, you’re so you know, known in the Broadway world. And now, of course, Disney with ‘Moana,’  ‘Encanto.’ So do you approach the Disney music differently than, say, Broadway? How do you change? 

Lin-Manuel Miranda:

I think the only difference is, and someone pointed this out to me I didn’t even realize it, all my stage musicals take place in New York. So Disney’s kind of my passport, you know, with Moana, I got to go to, you know, learn about the beautiful Pacific Island culture. With ‘Encanto,’ I got to go down to Colombia, learn all these different music forms that are down there. And then with this, you know, we got, I got to work with the great Lebo M on his incredible choral harmonies and his voice being, you know, really present in the music and and play with these incredible African rhythms. 

Keep watching for more!