Winnie the Pooh is a beloved character that has spanned generations. However, until now, he’s been relegated to illustrations and animation. That all changes with the upcoming Disney film, “Christopher Robin.” With the first teaser dropping today, we finally get to see what exactly a live-action Pooh would look like.
It’s difficult to watch the teaser for “Christopher Robin” and not immediately think of another film, “Hook.” In both, an adult version of a classic character is facing tough times, but is brought back to the fantasy world. In “Hook,” it revolves around Peter Pan. However, in “Christopher Robin,” we see an adult, stressed Christopher Robin, played by Ewan McGregor, visited by a walking, talking Winnie the Pooh, voiced by Jim Cummings, who has voiced Pooh since 1988.
And let’s talk about this glimpse of Winnie the Pooh. He looks exactly how a photo-realistic CG teddy bear would look, but with the unmistakable voice. It’s both sweet and refreshing, as well as jarring. It will take some time getting used to this version of the character, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. This Pooh is just different than what we’re used to.
Joining McGregor and Cummings is a star-studded cast, as you might expect from a Disney film. Hayley Atwell and Mark Gatiss star as Robin’s wife and boss, respectively. The voice cast is rounded out by Chris O’Dowd (as Tigger), Nick Mohammed (as Piglet), Brad Garrett (as Eeyore), Peter Capaldi (as Rabbit), Sophie Okonedo (as Kanga), and Toby Jones (as Owl). Not a bad cast, at all.
The film is directed by Marc Forster, known for “Quantum of Solace” and “World War Z,” but also for “Finding Neverland,” which was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
Here’s the official synopsis from Disney:
In the heartwarming live action adventure, the young boy who embarked on countless adventures in the Hundred Acre Wood with his band of spirited and lovable stuffed animals, has grown up and lost his way. Now it is up to his childhood friends to venture into our world and help Christopher Robin remember the loving and playful boy who is still inside.