Henry Golding to star in animated adaptation of The Tiger’s Apprentice

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

From SNAKE EYES to THE TIGER'S APPRENTICE; according to THR, Henry Golding has been tapped to star in an animated adaptation of Laurence Yep's "The Tiger's Apprentice," which follows a young boy named Tom in San Francisco who meets a shape-shifting talking tiger named Mr. Hu. Under his tutelage and protection, Tom is introduced to a magical world that includes an ancient phoenix, a dragon, and a clan of evil-doers.

The project comes from Paramount Animation and Carlos Baena, a Pixar animator who worked on TOY STORY 3 and WALL-E who will be making his feature directing debut with THE TIGER'S APPRENTICE. Henry Golding will be voicing the tiger, Mr. Hu. The script from Davig Magee, Harry Cripps, and Kyle Jarrow adapts the first book in the series, which also includes "Tiger's Blood" and "Tiger Magic." Paramount currently has THE TIGER'S APPRENTICE slated for a February 11, 2022 release.

A synopsis for "The Tiger's Apprentice" via Amazon:

It isn't every day you meet a tiger. And certainly not a tiger in a suit and tie. And definitely not one who knows your first name. From that minute on, Tom's life changes forever. Tom has always felt different from everyone else, but he has no idea how different he really is until he learns that he is the latest in a long line of magic-wielding beings called Guardians. For centuries, a Guardian has protected a powerful talisman that can either bring peace to the world or bring about its destruction. it has been kept safe-until now. For now, the most evil being of all has sent his terrifying minions to lay siege to the talisman and its latest Guardian, a tiger called Mr. Hu.

The Guardian has his own allies in the battle, including an outlaw dragon, a mischievous monkey, and his new apprentice-Tom. But Tom doesn't want to be the tiger's apprentice. What can he possibly do to help this ragtag band? And can they all stop bickering long enough to unite their powers in time? This rich, action-packed fantasy from two-time Newbery Honor author Laurence Yep reveals a hidden world within our own-where animals take human form, where friendship is the final weapon in the battle between good and evil, and where a young boy must save the world he knows . . . and the one he is just discovering.

We've been seeing plenty of Henry Golding since the actor broke out in CRAZY RICH ASIANS just two years ago, with Golding appearing in A SIMPLE FAVOR, MONSOON, LAST CHRISTMAS, and THE GENTLEMEN. Golding will also star in SNAKE EYES, an upcoming spin-off of the G.I. JOE franchise which will center on the origins of the massively popular character. The spin-off is still slated to hit theaters on October 23, 2020, but I suppose COVID-19 could still have something to say about that.