AceShowbiz -

Andy Serkis' adaptation of Mowgli classic tale gets a release date. According to Nikki Finke, the project titled "Jungle Book: Origins" is scheduled by Warner Bros. to make its way out across the States starting October 21, 2016.

"The Jungle Book (2016)" will mark Serkis' directorial debut after he served as a second unit director on Peter Jackson's "Hobbit" movies. Steve Cloves ("Harry Potter" movies) wrote the screenplay with his daughter Callie.

The plot is still under wraps, but this WB flick is expected to take a darker direction than rival project which will be directed by Jon Favreau at Disney. "What I love about the screen adaptation by Steve and Callie Kloves is it's very truthful to the original book; it doesn't shy away from its darkness," Serkis once said. "The jungle is a Garden of Eden and a wonderful place for Mowgli to grow up in, but also is a place of fear and a place of threat."

While WB hasn't announced any cast members, the Mouse House has assembled the likes of Idris Elba, Ben Kingsley, Scarlett Johansson, Lupita Nyong'o, and Christopher Walken for their big screen take which is set for October 9, 2015.