Almost every children’s tale has seen a gritty retelling by now, and it’s no surprise that The Jungle Book is next. Warner Bros is coming up with the darkest possible version of Rudyard Kipling’s beloved story, starring Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Benedict Cumberbatch, Naomie Harris and Tom Hollander.
The new film, titled Mowgli , is starkly different from the Disney version in 2016. The earlier live-action movie made it light and breezy, with Bill Murray as Baloo belting out ‘Bare Necessities,’ an ode to the 1967 animated film.
The Warner Bros’ Baloo is played by the master of motion-capture — Andy Serkis — who is also directing the movie. The film promises a take on the story that hasn’t been done so far, with the trailer opening with Mowgli in a cage alongside Bagheera, as if the two are roadside fascinations for humans to look at as they pass by.
Cumberbatch’s Sher Khan makes a brief appearance with a growling “My, my, how you’ve grown.” It would be hard for audiences to not compare this movie with the other live-action outing, but the studio seems to have made it one of this year’s biggest events.
Mowgli, which stars Rohan Chand in the titular role, also has Freida Pinto and Matthew Rhys in its star-studded cast. The movie will release worldwide on October 19, 2018.
Watch the trailer here:
