Posted Fri Jul 27, 2018 at 12:30 PM PDT by Steven Cohen
The upcoming Jungle Book adaptation is swinging to Netflix in 2019.
According to a report by Deadline, Netflix has acquired the worldwide rights to Andy Serkis' Mowgli from Warner Bros. Pictures. While the movie was previously set for an October 19 theatrical debut through Warner Bros., Netflix is now planning to release the film through its streaming service in 2019, along with a theatrical run to allow viewers a chance to see the movie in 3D.
The story follows the upbringing of the human child Mowgli, 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 and a panther named Bagheera, Mowgli becomes accepted by the animals of the jungle as one of their own. All but one: the fearsome tiger Shere Khan. But there may be greater dangers lurking in the jungle, as Mowgli comes face to face with his human origins.
Mowgli blends live action and motion capture performances. The motion capture cast for the animal characters includes Christian Bale as Bagheera, Cate Blanchett Kaa, Benedict Cumberbatch as Shere Khan, Naomie Harris as Nisha, Andy Serkis as Baloo, Peter Mullan as Akela, and Tom Hollander as Tabaqui. Meanwhile, the live action ensemble playing the human characters includes Matthew Rhys as Lockwood, Freida Pinto as Messua, and Rohan Chand as Mowgli.
The film is produced by Steve Kloves, Jonathan Cavendish, and David Barron, along with Nikki Penny who is on board as an executive producer. Andy Serkis directs from a script written by Callie Kloves. Though Disney released a similar live action/motion capture version of The Jungle Book back in 2016 from director Jon Favreau, this new take promises a darker and more serious approach to the classic story.
Mowgli marks the latest Netflix acquisition of a film originally slated for a traditional theatrical release from a major studio. The streaming platform previously purchased and debuted The God Particle from Paramount earlier this year.
Source: Deadline
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