Mowgli trailer teases Andy Serkis' dark, visually-superb Jungle Book tale

Mowgli trailer teases Andy Serkis’ dark, visually-superb Jungle Book tale

November 8th 2018, 8:44am

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

The 2016 remake of THE JUNGLE BOOK was a visually-arresting, immensely enjoyable blockbuster that won over audiences and made almost $1 billion at the box office. Naturally, the totally separate movie based on Rudyard Kipling’s tale from Andy Serkis would have to hit some high marks in order to not live in that movie’s shadow – and Serkis has promised us a darker and more grounded take on the material. The first trailer for the now-titled MOWGLI: LEGEND OF THE JUNGLE is here and lives up to that very promise, teasing some superb visuals and a style that feels very different from the Disney version. If you ever wondered what it would be like to be a little scared of Baloo, now you’ll know.

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Even though there has been a good gap of time between this movie and the last JUNGLE BOOK, there was always a worry that audiences would have a tough time accepting this movie while the Disney version from Jon Favreau was still so popular. This is possibly why Warner Bros., in a bit of a bomb drop, sold it off to Netflix where it's now debuting on December 7 after releasing in limited theaters starting on November 29.

As for the movie itself, it’s hard to get a real, in-depth look at the visual effects, but what we do know is that the movie will sport some terrific motion capture performances (Andy Serkis did direct this movie, after all) from the likes of Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Benedict Cumberbatch, Freida Pinto, Matthew Rhys, Naomie Harris and Serkis himself. The young Rohan Chand plays Mowgli here, and audiences will quickly notice this movie focuses more on his place both in the human and animal worlds as he struggles with finding out who he really is. Between the darker approach and stronger human element it looks like there will be plenty to distinguish itself from its very successful cousin, and like that movie, this is one viewers should try and catch on the big screen if they can.

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Here’s the synopsis:

Acclaimed actor and director Andy Serkis reinvents Rudyard Kipling’s beloved masterpiece, in which a boy torn between two worlds accepts his destiny and becomes a legend. Mowgli (Rohan Chand) has never truly belonged in either the wilds of the jungle or the civilized world of man. Now he must navigate the inherent dangers of each on a journey to discover where he truly belongs. Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Benedict Cumberbatch, Andy Serkis, Freida Pinto, Matthew Rhys and Naomie Harris lead an all-star cast along with newcomer Rohan Chand in this visually spectacular and emotionally moving adventure.