Robert Downey Jr’s Dolittle is not the character you imagined

It’s a new year and a new opportunity for Robert Downey Jr to kick start a new franchise. After having spent the last decade redefining the movie world with his starring role as Tony Stark / Iron Man in the MCU, Downey Jr is now turning his thespian talents to what could be another big franchise, this time as the iconic role of Hugh Lofting’s Dr. Dolittle.

This is not the Dr. Dolittle you imagine if you think back to the late ‘90s Eddie Murphy films or even the ‘60s Rex Harrison versions. Instead, this time around we find our Dr. Dolittle set in the time period where he was meant to be, back in the ‘20s. Well, 1920s that is, as the character will be turning 100 years old this decade. It’s not just the time period that is changing though as this is easily the most fantastical version of the character yet featuring outrageous antics, more talking animals than ever before and dragons. Yes, you read that last line correctly. Let’s take a look at this new trailer to see what I’m talking about:

That is certainly not the Dolittle we are used to. I’m not quite sold on the high fantasy approach in the movie, but then again, the original novels were never all that grounded. After all, the main character speaks to animals so should we not expect the rest of this world to be a little farfetched too. This movie should at least provide a lot of fun when it releases in a few weeks’ time on January 17th.

Dolittle is directed by Stephen Gaghan and alongside its excellent CGI, has a remarkable cast of voice talent including Ralph Fiennes, Marion Cotillard, Antonio Banderas, Octavia Spencer, Rami Malek, Michael Sheen, Selena Gomez, Tom Holland, Emma Thompson, Jim Broadbent, John Cena and Kumail Nanjiani. With this movie’s incredible cast, big fantasy setting along with the draw of the enigmatic Downey Jr himself, we may just have the first blockbuster of the decade on our hands with this film.

Last Updated: January 6, 2020