John Faverau is about to unleash some Disney magic today as fans get a brand new look at The Jungle Book. The new live-action adaptation with a rock solid, all-star voice cast has wowed fans and critics alike with it’s hyper-realistic CGI with dazzling footage.
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So what can fans expect from this new spot? We’ll here’s what we know so far.
The poster above gives a good, forward-facing view of Mowgli and the primary animals in the film, including Baloo the bear, Bagheera the Panther, King Louie, Shere Khan, and Kaa. Raksha the wolf-mother of Mowgli stands in the back with her other cubs, perched atop a cliff.
Then in the below trailer, you can see examples of what first wowed people at D23 Expo. That photorealistic jungle is 100% computer animated. This whole movie was shot on sound stages, using the latest in CGI technology, something director Jon Favreau was excited about at the August convention.
“The man Walt Disney was an inspiring figure who took old stories, he’s a storyteller first and foremost. He also loved technology. Taking the edge of technology and applying it to old stories was his formula for success, and we wanted to do that here,” Favreau said. “We wanted to used 3D, digital recording, and CGI in ways no one has before. The best CGI, I think, is the kind that just disappears.”
The young newcomer star Neel Sethi actually filmed all of his scenes twice – once in a mocap suit and the second time in his costume. He’ll appear in live-action alongside the CGI animals and jungle.
Based on Rudyard Kipling’s timeless stories and inspired by Disney’s classic animated film, 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, 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, and the free-spirited bear Baloo. Along the way, Mowgli encounters jungle creatures who don’t exactly have his best interests at heart, including Kaa, a python whose seductive voice and gaze hypnotizes the man-cub, and the smooth-talking King Louie, who tries to coerce Mowgli into giving up the secret to the elusive and deadly red flower: fire.
The Jungle Book is written by Justin Marks, and directed by Jon Favreau. The film stars Neel Sethi as Mowgli, features the voices of Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley, Idris Elba, Jamie Dornan, Lupita Nyong’o, Scarlett Johansson and Christopher Walken.
The Jungle Book opens in theaters April 15, 2016.
