The Extended Trailer For The Jungle Book Has A Lot More Than The Bear Necessities

Disney shows off new CGI footage.

Forget about your worries and your strife. Disney have dropped a new extended trailer for Jon Favreau's upcoming adaptation of The Jungle Book, and it contains a solid amount of new footage. If you were worried that it was pointless watching this having already seen that first trailer last year, fear not - it's definitely worth the two minutes of your time it'll take to give it a look-see. Although it may depend on how much you like hearing Scarlett Johansson talk like a snake, as her voice over remains in place.

We get a fresh look at the elephant you might remember as Col. Hathi in the 1967 animated classic (although its doubtful he'll retain that anthropomorphic title here), along with Hathi Jr., his cuter-than-cute offspring (who looks a little dead behind the eyes). There's a big reveal of Mowgli's adopted wolf mother (voiced by Lupita Nyong'o) and new footage of the boy wandering into King Louie's temple. The more that's shown of this film, the more intrigue it raises - take a look for yourself:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yt7jEI83_FI

It's high time we heard one of the other characters speak by now, I would say - especially when there's such delights to look forward to such as Bill Murray as Baloo, Christopher Walken as King Louie, Ben Kingsley as Bagheera and Idris Elba as Shere Khan. I can't help but feel those last two voice roles should be switched, though, as Elba definitely has the more soothing, fatherly tones more suited to Bagheera and Kingsley can do menacing voices in his sleep (and most likely does). Not that Elba can't do menacing, of course.

Jon Favreau has seemingly created a gorgeous live action adaptation, even if the CGI animals are plagued by the pesky Uncanny Valley. Ah well, if his adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's classic turns out to be a bust, we've still got Andy Serkis' version to look forward to (with Benedict Cumberbatch as Shere Khan, no less!) in 2017. Which version are you most looking forward to?

The Jungle Book is released in cinemas on 15 April.

Contributor

Cinephile since 1993, aged 4, when he saw his very first film in the cinema - Jurassic Park - which is also evidence of damn fine parenting. World champion at Six Degrees of Separation. Lender of DVDs to cheap mates. Connoisseur of Marvel Comics and its Cinematic Universe.