I've found it a little difficult to muster up much enthusiasm for Disney's upcoming onslaught of live-action adaptations of their classic animated films, but I've suddenly found myself warming up to Jon Favreau's THE JUNGLE BOOK recently. Given the overabundance of CGI and the star-studded cast of talking animals, THE JUNGLE BOOK felt poised to feel empty and pointless, but damn if I haven't been won over by the recent trailers and clips. The film is looking absolutely spectacular in the visual department and the whole thing just feels like it could be a lot of fun. Disney has released a new featurette in which THE JUNGLE BOOK director Jon Favreau and members of the cast speak about the original films legacy and why the time is right for this new adaptation.
Check it out!
The official synopsis for THE JUNGLE BOOK:
“The Jungle Book” is an all-new live-action epic adventure about Mowgli (newcomer Neel Sethi), 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 hypnotizes 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 JUNGLE BOOK hits theaters on April 15, 2016.