Movies

'Peter Rabbit' First Look: See The New Version Of The Bunny Voiced By James Corden

Peter Rabbit First Look Photo
By Ethan Anderton

Back in the fall, we learned that Sony Pictures was reaching back into literary history for a new live-action and computer generated hybrid film by adapting Beatrix Potter's classic character Peter Rabbit for his own movie. The film has late night sensation James Corden voicing the titular bunny, and now we have our first look at the updated version of the character in his photorealistic animated form.

Check out the Peter Rabbit first look photo after the jump.

There's definitely a little more of a modern vibe to the character just in that still alone, mostly because of how he has his hands situated in his pockets, but at least he has the same old school jacket from the classic illustrations in the original books. But as the source indicates, it doesn't feel desperate in its attempt to be cool, unlike the infamous Poochie character from The Itchy & Scratchy Show on The Simpsons.

For those not familiar with Peter Rabbit, the books followed the adventures of anthropomorphic rabbits who live just like humans do, but out in a rural meadow somewhere. There's the main character Peter Rabbit, who also has a mother named Josephine Rabbit and three sisters named Flopsy, Mopsy and Cotton-tail. So what will the story of the movie be about?

The Hollywood Reporter has described the movie as a modern interpretation of the books, centering on the rivalry between mischievous young hopper Peter Rabbit and Mr. McGregor, a man trying to keep a rabbit-free garden. The latter human role has already been handed to Domhnall Gleeson, making this his second venture into classic literature since he's also starring in a movie about Winnie the Pooh creator A.A. Milne called Goodbye Christopher Robin.

Funnily enough, that Winnie the Pooh movie also stars Margot Robbie, who has also been cast to voice an unnamed bunny in the Peter Rabbit movie along with Daisy Ridley and Elizabeth Debicki. The specific characters that each actress is voicing have yet to be revealed, but presumably they're all part of Peter's family.

Otherwise, there's also a new human character being brought into the fray in the form of Rose Byrne, playing a woman named Bea. The character doesn't seem to be inspired by anyone from the books, but considering the name, may end up being a proxy for creator Beatrix Potter.

Here's hoping that the Peter Rabbit movie keeps the spirit of the original books intact while still modernizing it for contemporary audiences. While I'm not sure anyone is clamoring for a Peter Rabbit movie, the cast is a rather impressive assembly of talent who could make it worth getting excited about.

Peter Rabbit will be directed by Annie remake helmer Will Gluck with a script from The Cat in the Hat writer Rob Lieber, and it's expected to hit theaters in April 2018.

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