Eddie Murphy’s John Dolittle certainly didn’t have the easiest of times gaining acceptance for his unique gift. Watching someone give a rat mouth-to-mouth resuscitation will do that for you. Yelling “Stop talkin’ to me!” out into the night with no one around doesn’t help either. But hey, what’s a guy supposed to do when the dogs, cats, sheep, rats, squirrels, birds, and monkeys—just to name a few—keep pestering you with their problems? It goes without saying, but Robert Downey Jr.—next to take up the mantel—definitely looks to have his hands full in the simply-titled “Dolittle.”
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The new adaptation of the popular children’s series of stories by Hugh Lofting is directed by Stephen Gaghan (“Syriana”) who also co-wrote the screenplay. Downey’s wife Susan co-produced the film with Jeff Kirschenbaum and Joe Roth, and Oscar-nominated composer Danny Elfman provides its score. Downey himself is joined by human castmates Antonio Banderas, Michael Sheen, and Jim Broadbent, while John Cena, Octavia Spencer, Emma Thompson, Rami Malek, Marion Cotillard, and Tom Holland are some of the names who lend their voices to a host of the doctor’s feathered and furry friends.
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Here’s the synopsis:
After losing his wife seven years earlier, the eccentric Dr. John Dolittle, famed doctor, and veterinarian of Queen Victoria’s England, hermits himself away behind the high walls of Dolittle Manor with only his menagerie of exotic animals for company. But when the young queen falls gravely ill, a reluctant Dolittle is forced to set sail on an epic adventure to a mythical island in search of a cure, regaining his wit and courage as he crosses old adversaries and discovers wondrous creatures. The doctor is joined on his quest by a young, self-appointed apprentice and a raucous coterie of animal friends, including an anxious gorilla, an enthusiastic but bird-brained duck, a bickering duo of a cynical ostrich and an upbeat polar bear and a headstrong parrot, who serves as Dolittle’s most trusted advisor and confidante.
“Dolittle”—distributed by Universal Pictures—is set to be released on January 17, 2020, in the U.S. Check out the trailer below and behold the beauty of the animal kingdom.
