Beyoncé directed the 2020 musical film Black Is King.
Black Is King was written, directed, and executive produced by Beyoncé. Disney+ released it on July 31, 2020. The film reimagines the music from The Lion King: The Gift, Beyoncé’s companion album to the 2019 remake of The Lion King. Its visual narrative follows a young king’s journey through family, identity, ancestry, loss, and self-discovery.
The project was filmed across several locations and features performers, dancers, designers, and artists from Africa and the African diaspora. Beyoncé also appears on screen and voices Nala in the 2019 film. Black Is King is often described as a visual album or musical film rather than a conventional narrative feature. Its director credit is sometimes misattributed to Jon Favreau, who directed the 2019 The Lion King movie, not this separate Disney+ project.