I am so excited about The Jungle Book live-action film from Walt Disney Pictures. The Little was about four years old when I began reading this classic book to him. You could see the wonder in his eyes as he listened intently as Mowgli’s jungle adventure unravelled. This has been a story near to my heart for many years, a timeless classic. Now, once again being realized in full IMAX 3D with all the movie magic you could dream up, we approach the theatre release of this epic story with its first official clip and stunning promo images.
The Jungle Book Trailers
“Intro to Shere Khan” Clip – Disney’s The Jungle Book
“Live the Legend” TV Spot – Disney’s The Jungle Book
“Trust” TV Spot – Disney’s the Jungle Book
“The Legacy” Featurette
“Hibernation” Film Clip
“Mowgli Leaves The Pack” Film Clip
Alongside The Jungle Book undoubtedly being one of the most visually epic films of 2016, Disney has released an immersive website on Tumblr, you can explore chapters like “Words to Live By: The bare necessities for a man-cub to survive” and “In the Face of Danger: Learn about the Red Flower and Shere Khan.”
New chapters will be revealed over the next two weeks featuring exclusive content from the film.
The Jungle Book New Promo Images
I’m in LOVE with the just-released promo images for The Jungle Book! Seriously, these are so flawlessly intense! They feature the cast; Idris Elba, Scarlett Johansson, Lupita Nyong’o, Sir Ben Kingsley, Christopher Walken and Giancarlo Esposito paring each with their screen character.
Lupita Nyong’o – Raksha
She is the protector, the eternal mother,” says Nyong’o. “The word Raksha actually means protection in Hindi. I felt really connected to that, wanting to protect a son that isn’t originally hers but one she’s taken for her own.”
Scarlett Johansson – Kaa
Kaa seduces and entraps Mowgli with her storytelling,” says Scarlett Johansson. “She’s the mirror into Mowgli’s past. The way she moves is very alluring, almost coquettish.”
Christopher Walken – King Louie
King Louie is huge–12 feet tall,” says Christopher Walken, who voices the character. “But he’s as charming as he is intimidating when he wants to be.”
Giancarlo Esposito – Akela
Akela is a fierce patriarch of the wolf pack,” says Giancarlo Esposito, who voices the character. “He believes the strength of the pack lies in what each and every wolf offers. He’s a great leader, a wise teacher.”
Idris Elba – Shere Khan
Shere Khan reigns with fear,” says Elba. “He terrorizes everyone he encounters because he comes from a place of fear.”
Sir Ben Kingsley – Bagheera
Bagheera is Mowgli’s adoptive parent,” says Ben Kingsley, who lends his voice to Bagheera. “His role in Mowgli’s life is to educate, to protect and to guide. My Bagheera was military–he’s probably a colonel. He is instantly recognizable by the way he talks, how he acts and what his ethical code is.”
The drama in these photos captures the very drama we have been following in The Jungle Book since D23 EXPO 2015 last August. So exciting to see these come to life in such an intense way.
The Jungle Book Movie Magic Facts
- Moving Picture Company (MPC) are the wizards behind animating more than 70 species, crafting 100 million leaves and simulating earth, fire and water.
- A team of more than 800 computer graphics artists spent more than a year on the project.
- Artists digitally built most of the jungle environment that appears in the film, creating moss, bark, rock, water, grass, trees, leaves that were all inspired by their real-life counterparts in India.
- The virtual environment makes up 80 percent of the film frame 100 percent of the time.
- Filmmakers utilized motion capture technology to help them visualize the entire film prior to live-action production kicking off.
- The process involves special bodysuits adorned with dots that translate into the computer. Even director Jon Favreau suited up for select scenes.
- One of the challenges filmmakers faced by pairing a live-action Mowgli with computer-generated animal counterparts was that the CG creatures were unable to cast shadows on real-life Mowgli.
- Visual effects supervisor Rob Legato developed a system that allowed filmmakers to project light and shadows onto Mowgli that represent the creatures that are moving near him.
- Mowgli deals with a lot of honey in “The Jungle Book.” The sweet stuff proved challenging for filmmakers, who wanted it to look authentic—yet still appealing. Color and viscosity had to be considered, as well as how to make the honeycomb it comes in.
The Jungle Book opens in theatres everywhere in 3D, RealD 3D, and IMAX 3D on April 15th!
