The first trailer for Andy Serkis’ adaptation of The Jungle Book promises a much darker side to the bare necessities. This PG-13 variation on Rudyard Kipling’s iconic novel is described as “the darkest telling of the beloved masterpiece.” Considering Serkis is the king of motion capture acting, and this film involves some of the more deadly jungle animals, viewers are in for a thrilling ride from start to finish. 

Mowgli centers around a human child raised by a pack of wolves in the jungles of India. As he grows and discovers the sinister side to the jungle he calls home, Mowgli seeks help from a bear named Baloo and a panther named Bagheera. Despite his desperation to be accepted by the animals of the jungle, Mowgli must come face to face with his human origins…all the while a ferocious tiger Shere Khan lurks in the shadows. 

This star-studded film features Rohan Chand as Mowgli, Matthew Rhys as John Lockwood, Freida Pinto as Messua, Christian Bale as Bagheera, Cate Blanchett as Kaa, Benedict Cumberbatch as Shere Khan, Naomie Harris as Nisha, Serkis as Baloo, Peter Mullan as Akela, Jack Reynor as Brother Wolf, Eddie Marsan as Vihaan, and Tom Hollander as Tabaqui. 

Mowgli is scheduled to hit theaters on October 19, 2018.