Scarlett Johansson’s malevolent Kaa ensnares Mowgli in today’s all-new TV spot for The Jungle Book, Jon Favreau’s lavish reimagining of Rudyard Kipling’s classic adventure tale.
Ensuring Favreau’s feature has a leg up on the competition (read: Andy Serkis’ Jungle Book: Origins), Disney is set to unleash the director’s reboot into the wild in little under a month’s time, and perhaps more than anything else, today’s snippet reminds us just how easy Favreau’s vision is on the eyes.
Blending bleeding-edge CG effects around Neel Sethi’s Mowgli – as much an anchor for the visual effects as he is the story – The Jungle Book represents a total overhaul in the visual department. But that core fish-out-of-water tenet remains, with Sethi’s man-cub hunted down by Idris Elba’s menacing Shere Khan, the undisputed king of the jungle.
Don’t be fooled into thinking that The Jungle Book is just a pretty face, either; with Ben Kingsley, Christopher Walken Bill Murray, Scarlett Johansson, Ralph Ineson and Star Wars: The Force Awakens alum Lupita Nyong’o on board, the House of Mouse’s CG-laden adventure has every chance of becoming a modern classic.
Jon Faverau will rediscover The Bare Necessities when The Jungle Book dances all the way into theaters on April 15.
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).