First Movie Clip and Immersive Website for Disney's The Jungle Book

"Shere Khan reigns with fear," says Elba. "He terrorizes everyone he encounters because he comes from a place of fear."

Remember Disney's "The Jungle Book" from the late 1967? Based off Rudyard Kipling's book of the same name, the animated musical comedy was one of my childhood faves. Singing "The Bare Necessities" for days on end was a common occurrence (what an ear worm!) and the classic animation was done in that magical way that only Disney knows how to do. 

When I was a kid and watched "The Jungle Book", I used to try to dance like the man-cub Mowgli. Lighthearted and sweet, the animated film was one of my favorites. Fast track to almost 50 years later (What? I cannot be that old!) and present day Disney. Next month, Disney is releasing the remake of "The Jungle Book" on April 15th-and what a dramatic change from the original! 

The first movie clip was just released and Walt Disney Pictures has it up on its YouTube channel:

Movie Cast and Details

\

 "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."

Directed by Jon Favreau, the remake takes live-action and seamlessly blends it with photorealistic CGI animals and environments making the movie and its characters seem, well, real. "The Jungle book" will be shown in 3D, Real 3D, and IMAX 3D (I, personally, can't wait to see it in Real 3D) and you can bet that Disney's up-to-the-minute technology will have you immersed in the movie.

"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."

The cast seems flawless. A list actors and actresses including Scarlet Johansson (Kaa), Sir Ben Kingsley (Bagheera), Lupita Nyong'o (Raksha), Christopher Walken (Louie), Giancarlo Esposito (Akela), and Idris Elba (Shere Khan) will all be lending their voices to the famous Disney characters. 

"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.”

From the first movie clip, it seems as though the movie has taken on a darker tone. Remember the lighthearted animated film? I can't wait to check out Favreau's take on the Kipling book.

"The Jungle Book" Immersive Website

Disney's "The Jungle Book" is featuring a fun, immersive website, The Law of the Jungle, to go along with the movie's release. Over the next two weeks, additional chapters will be revealed that will feature exclusive film content as well. The music, film clips, and quotes are enthralling. The site links to the movie's social media channels, so make sure you follow all of them to stay up to date with the latest news and information. 

Want to stay in the loop?

Like THE JUNGLE BOOK on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DisneyJungleBook  

Follow THE JUNGLE BOOK on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheJungleBook

Follow THE JUNGLE BOOK on Instagram: https://instagram.com/disneythejunglebook

Follow THE JUNGLE BOOK on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/disneystudios/the-jungle-book/

Follow THE JUNGLE BOOK on Google+: https://plus.google.com/112416455929607370682/posts

Visit Walt Disney Pictures on Tumblr: http://disneystudios.tumblr.com/

Follow Walt Disney Pictures on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/DisneyMovieTrailers

Visit the official THE JUNGLE BOOK website here: http://movies.disney.com/the-jungle-book-2016

All photos and movie details are courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures.