From the very first images to the debut teaser, Jon Favreau’s live-action update of The Jungle Book appears destined to blow audiences away. Stunning CGI components blend together seamlessly with the shenanigans of young actor Neel Sethi. And that’s before any of the film’s starry vocal cast enter the picture. So if those early promo tidbits left you gasping for more, fear not, as this new international trailer offers plenty of fresh footage.
Mowgli’s jungle jaunt is a familiar tale for most moviegoers, as it’s based on the original Disney outing which was itself an adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s stories. Taking that into account, there’s bound to be inevitable familiarities between the two movies. And yet Favreau and his crew seem steadfast in their plans to rejuvenate the source material for new audiences. You might know where it’s headed, but if these previews persist, we’ll have one hell of a time getting there.
With a while to go before The Jungle Book swings into theaters on April 15, 2016, there’s hopefully a stream of new clips, trailers and promos on the way. Until then, though, get reacquainted with the movie’s official full-length synopsis below:
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 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 wolf pack’s alpha male Akela.