Warner Bros have once again changed the name of Andy Serkis’ forthcoming Jungle Book movie to Mowgli. The studio have also released a new synopsis for the film, which was previously called Jungle Book: Origins., as well as Mowgli: Tales from the Jungle Book.
Blending live action and performance capture, the story follows the upbringing of the human child Mowgli (Rohan Chand) raised by a wolf pack in the jungles of India. As he learns the often-harsh rules of the jungle, under the tutelage of a bear named Baloo (Andy Serkis) and a panther named Bagheera (Christian Bale), Mowgli becomes accepted by the animals of the jungle as one of their own. All but one: the fearsome tiger Shere Khan (Benedict Cumberbatch). But there may be greater dangers lurking in the jungle, as Mowgli comes face to face with his human origins. The other story’s central animal characters are: Kaa, the snake (Cate Blanchett); the leader of the wolf pack, Akela (Peter Mullan); the scavenging hyena, Tabaqui (Tom Hollander); Nisha, the female wolf (Naomie Harris), who adopts the baby Mowgli as one of her cubs; Nisha’s mate, Vihaan (Eddie Marsan); and Mowgli’s Brother Wolf (Jack Reynor).
Having been beaten out of the blocks by Jon Favreau’s 2016 Disney movie, the name change will hope to further distance it from that successful adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s classic story.
Warner Bros will release Mowgli on October 19th 2018.
Originally published December 20, 2017. Updated April 11, 2018.
