I'm Already Sobbing Over Robert Downey Jr. Talking To Animals In 'Dolittle'

As Robert Downey Jr.'s time in the Marvel universe has drawn to a close, the question on all fans' minds is, where does Tony Stark go from here? Well, fans have their answer to that question in the form of the first Dolittle trailer: He turns to the animals. In the new trailer for the upcoming movie, Downey steps into the iconic role of the doctor who can talk to animals. And honestly, I have to admit that even just the trailer already has me tearing up. The human-animal connection is strong in this two-minute-long sneak peek.

Dolittle isn't the first time the Dr. Dolittle has been brought to life. The character from the early 20th century book series was played by Rex Harrison in 1967 and by Eddie Murphy in 1998. But, Downey's Dolittle seems to be playing up the adventure and magic of the character who can talk to animals. Here's the film's official synopsis:

After losing his wife seven years earlier, the eccentric Dr. John Dolittle (Downey), 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 (Jessie Buckley) 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.

In addition to Downey's role as Dolittle, the movie is filled with stars lending their voices to the many animals the doctor encounters. The cast includes Selena Gomez as a giraffe, Tom Holland as a dog, Kumail Nanjiani as an ostrich, John Cena as a cheery polar bear, and Emma Thompson as a parrot who serves as Dolittle's closest companion and confidante.

However, there's one character who has already grabbed hold of my heart, even in just the short trailer. Rami Malek voices a gorilla who gets an extra dose of comfort from Dolittle while they travel by boat together. "It's okay to be scared," Dolittle tells the gorilla. Between that tender moment and the moving rendition of "What a Wonderful World" that plays in the trailer, the whole thing has me sobbing.

Dolittle comes from the same people who produced Alice in Wonderland and Maleficent, and the trailer makes it seem like the film will be filled with the same fantastical elements as the other two movies.

Dolittle has changed a bit since it was first announced in 2017. Back then, the movie was called The Voyage of Doctor Dolittle, but the title was shortened to simply Dolittle in August 2019. The movie also underwent substantial rewrites and reshoots, according to Collider. But hopefully, the revised version of the movie will fully live up to all the magic its trailer seems to promise audiences. After all, I don't think there's anything more magical than seeing Tony Stark talk to animals.

Dolittle will open in movie theaters everywhere Jan. 17, 2020.