It's been a while since we've heard news regarding Warner Bros. version of
Jungle Book, which was overshadowed by Jon Favreau's 2016 live-action/CG adaptation of the Rudyard Kipling story, but that changed today.
According to Collider (shout out to
Forthas), the Warner Bros. iteration of the classic story, which will be helmed by mo-cap legend Andy Serkis, has been retitled from
"Jungle Book: Origins" to
"Mowgli."
In addition to the name change, the studio also revealed the first official synopsis for the film.
“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.”
Although the core story remains the same, Serkis previously said his version will be "much closer to the tone of Rudyard Kipling's book." Specifically comparing his movie to its predecessor from Disney, Serkis admitted his film will be "darker" and "made for an older audience."
While Disney's version of Jungle Book set a high bar, the Warner Bros. version certainly has an impressive enough cast to match or even exceed it. Mowgli will star Christian Bale as Bagheera; Cate Blanchett as Kaa; Benedict Cumberbatch as Shere Khan; Naomie Harris as Nisha; Andy Serkis as Baloo; and Rohan Chand as Mowgli.
Warner Bros. Mowgli is slated to hit theaters on October 19, 2018.