If 2016 seemed a bit off to you, perhaps it was because Disneynature had no theatrical release this year. They’re making up for it with “Born in China” next year. The movie heads into the wilds of China where few people have ever ventured to bring some amazing visuals and great story telling as only Disneynature can provide. To bring that home for audiences, Disneynature has brought on John Krasinski to narrate.
“I’ve been a huge fan of the Disneynature films for a really long time,” said Krasinski. “I think I’ve seen them all a couple times and to be asked to be a part of something that I feel is not only so beautiful and such great storytelling, but is so important, I was honored to be a part of it. To find this unbelievable landscape that was far beyond the cities and the bustling crowds of the China that I thought I knew was just fascinating.”
Following the stories of three animal families, the film transports audiences to some of the most extreme environments on Earth to witness some of the most intimate moments ever captured in a nature film. A doting panda bear mother guides her growing baby as she begins to explore and seek independence. A two-year-old golden monkey who feels displaced by his new baby sister joins up with a group of free-spirited outcasts. And a mother snow leopard—an elusive animal rarely caught on camera—faces the very real drama of raising her two cubs in one of the harshest and most unforgiving environments on the planet.
I was able to see a little more footage from Disneynature’s “Born in China” at the D23 Destination D event and found my attention immediately grabbed by the story telling. This could be one of Disneynature’s best box office performances yet.
Featuring stunning, never-before-seen imagery, the film navigates China’s vast terrain—from the frigid mountains to the heart of the bamboo forest—on the wings of red-crowned cranes, seamlessly tying the extraordinary tales together. Opening in U.S. theaters on Earth Day 2017, “Born in China” is directed by accomplished Chinese filmmaker Lu Chuan, and produced by Disney’s Roy Conli and renowned nature filmmakers Brian Leith and Phil Chapman.