Old Mother Nature’s recipes come alive in the special Super Bowl trailer for Jon Favreau’s The Jungle Book reboot.
Doing good on the wild teaser clip from earlier in the week, Disney has unleashed a much more comprehensive promo for the director’s family-friendly romp. After establishing Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man as a fan-favorite before slicing and dicing up a cinematic love letter in the form of Chef, Favreau is smack bang in the middle of blockbuster territory once more, and The Jungle Book is shaping up to be a visual delight.
Incorporating a stylish mix of live-action and stunning VFX shots, it is up-and-comer Neel Sethi who will headline the House of Mouse’s feature as Mowgli the man-cub – red loincloth and all – exploring a vivid landscape under the watchful eye of his adoptive wolf-parents Raksha (Lupita Nyong’o) and Rama (Ralph Ineson). It’s a modern spin on Rudyard Kipling’s beloved children’s novel that still retains the coming-of-age arc driving the action on screen.
Revisiting such a cherished classic will no doubt rub some viewers the wrong way – particularly those who grew up fantazing about Mowgli’s mighty adventure – though in the wake of tonight’s clip we have full confidence that The Jungle Book will find an audience of its own in two months’ time. If nothing else, there’s always Idris Elba’s ferocious tiger and jungle VIP Shere Khan to look forward to.
The Jungle Book roars to life on April 15. Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley, Scarlett Johansson, Christopher Walken, Ralph Ineson and Star Wars: The Force Awakens star Lupita Nyong’o complete the ensemble cast.
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).