'Christopher Robin' reconnects with Winnie the Pooh in new movie

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- "Winnie the Pooh" is a character we first met in book form back in 1926. Over the years, he became a classic. And now, he's back in a brand new adventure. This time in the live-action film, "Christopher Robin."

The title character is all grown up now when Winnie the Pooh unexpectedly re-enters his life. Pooh somehow can't find his old pals and calls on Christopher Robin to help him back in the 100-acre wood. The film has an elegant, old-fashioned feel.

"Old-fashioned but just -- the simplicity of it -- it's heartwarming in how innocent the story is," said actress Hayley Atwell, who plays Robin's wife.

Marc Forster, who directed "Finding Neverland," is the man responsible for bringing this film to life. He agrees that in our high-tech world, he was striving to bring a sense of comfort to the screen.

"I wanted to create a film for kids, grownups, and also a film that, when you see it, it's like a warm blanket for you," said Forster.

Getting the movie to look real took a lot of work from Forster, from the entire technical team, and from the actors.

"So we had stuffed animals that were operated and voice by other actor," revealed Atwell. "Sometimes they'd be in the shot with us and sometimes off screen. And then you'd have headless, hairless, sometimes limbless versions of stuffed animals, a horror movie version. And then sometimes it was just a rod with a light on it."

"And sometimes, nothing at all," added Ewan McGregor, who plays Christopher Robin. "He (Forster) cast this small band of actors to play each of the creatures. And they were all enthusiastic good actors just mainly out of drama school. And they played the scenes with us as Pooh and Eeyore and Tigger and so the scenes would come to life with them, really."

"Christopher Robin" is in theaters Aug. 3. It's rated PG.