Andy Serkis‘ directorial effort Mowgli is now set to for Netflix after the streamer purchased the motion picture, which was previously set up at Warner Brothers. The film is an interpretation of The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling and was set to roll into cinemas this October. More on the Mowgli Netflix news below.
Mowgli Netflix news: Andy Serkis’ version of The Jungle Book sold to the online streamer
“I’m really excited about Netflix for Mowgli,” Serkis said to Deadline, who broke the news.
“Now, we avoid comparisons to the other movie and it’s a relief not to have the pressure. I’ve seen the 3D version, and it’s exceptional, a different view from the 2D version, really lush and with great depth, and there will be some kind of theatrical component for that. What excites me most is the forward thinking at Netflix in how to present this, and the message of the movie. They understand this is a darker telling that doesn’t fit it into a four quadrant slot. It’s really not meant for young kids, though I think it’s possible that 10 or above can watch it… I think this is their largest acquisition, it’s a big movie. But I never looked at it as a big blockbuster movie. It’s hard to quantify. It has the scale of a blockbuster, but it’s somewhere between ‘Life of Pi’ and an ‘Apes’ movie. It has that reality to it, same as ‘Okja’ had. We are talking about 2019 and circling dates. Netflix has allowed the film making that I wanted to do to exist, and they’ve created an atmosphere for me kind of storytelling I set out to do.”
Related: Andy Serkis’ Mowgli gets a trailer
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.
The Mowgli Netflix news is a surprising one, but we’re sure it will find an even bigger audience on the streamer.
Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, and Benedict Cumberbatch are amongst the cast of the film, which was due in cinemas on October 19th. It will now head to Netflix worldwide on a date to be determined in 2019.
