So, a new film based on Rudyard Kipling’s timeless story The Jungle Book (1894) is back on screen with a more lively depiction of the life and adventure of Mowgli. Directed by Jon Favreau (“Iron Man”), the film is scheduled for an April 2016 release. The recently released trailer promises more thrill and epic adventure with live-action using 3D and IMAX.
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The classic tale which was released back in 1967 has been the standard by which fans visualize the story. The new movie, however, seems to be a bit different than what we saw in the last film versions primarily in terms of Mowgli’s life among the animals of India. Nevertheless, the whole idea of recreating the classic with modern animation technologies is certainly promising and interesting.
While newcomer Neel Sethi plays Mowgli, all the animals around him are created with computer animation. It’s Neel who will be seen in live-action but other animated characters developed by photorealistic CGI technology too seem realistic. Interestingly, in comparison with Disney’s classic animated film, The Jungle Book, this version will be more action-oriented than comedy.
The whole adventure is about Mowgli, a man-cub who’s been raised by a family of wolves. But Mowgli finds he is no longer welcome in the jungle when fearsome tiger Shere Khan (voice of Idris Elba), who bears the scars of Man, promises to eliminate what he sees as a threat. Urged to abandon the only home he’s ever known, Mowgli embarks on a captivating journey of self-discovery, guided by panther-turned-stern mentor Bagheera (voice of Ben Kingsley), and the free-spirited bear Baloo (voice of Bill Murray). Along the way, Mowgli encounters jungle creatures who don’t exactly have his best interests at heart, including Kaa (voice of Scarlett Johansson), a python whose seductive voice and gaze hypnotize the man-cub, and the smooth-talking King Louie (voice of Christopher Walken), who tries to coerce Mowgli into giving up the secret to the elusive and deadly red flower: fire. The all-star cast also includes Lupita Nyong’o as the voice of the fiercely protective mother wolf Raksha and Giancarlo Esposito as the voice of the wolf pack’s alpha male Akela. The Jungle Book seamlessly blends live-action with photorealistic CGI animals and environments, using up-to-the-minute technology and storytelling techniques to immerse audiences in an enchanting and lush world. The wild adventure swings into theaters in 3D on April 15, 2016. [Content credit: Disney]
Genre: Action Adventure
Starring: Neel Sethi, Bill Murray, Idris Elba, Scarlett Johansson, Giancarlo Esposito, and Christopher Walken.
Directed by Jon Favreau
Release Date/Year: April 8, 2016 (India), April 15, 2016 (United States)
Where to watch The Jungle Book (2016)
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