‘Jungle Book Origins’ delayed to 2017, Gerald Butler in ‘Geostorm’ takes place
Andy Serkis (as seen on the set of “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes”) will deliver his version of “Jungle Book” in 2017
Andy Serkis’s motion capture adaptation of the classic Rudyard Kipling story The Jungle Book was moved back a year with a modified title. Warner Bros. moved the Gerald Butler film Geostorm in the 2016 slot.
Warner Bros. has announced that The Jungle Book: Origins is now pushed back from its initial showing of October 21, 2016 to October 2017, The Hollywood Reporter said.
Butler’s environmental thriller Geostorm will replace the The Jungle Book’s initial opening date. Directed by Dean Devlin (Independence Day), the film synopsis is: As a man heads into space to prevent climate-controlling satellites from creating a storm of epic proportions, his brother discovers a plot to assassinate the president.
THR pointed out that the original date was “more of a placeholder for the film,” and that the new slot means that Serkis and his team have more than an ample amount of time to develop what is considered to be an “ambitious film.”
“There is a growing trend in distribution circles of grabbing dates and using them as temporary berths for movies before these cinematic souffles are fully baked,” the THR article stated. “The new date also gives additional time for Serkis and co. to further work on the special effects-heavy project.”
The Jungle Book: Origins will feature the voices and facial capture work of Benedict Cumberbatch, Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Naomie Harris, Jack Reynor, Eddie Marsan, Peter Mullan and Tom Hollander.
