Gaze Upon the Rippling Abs of Alexander Skarsgard in the First ‘Tarzan’ Photos

Making his first appearance in Edgar Rice Burroughs’ 1912 adventure serials, Tarzan has assumed a comfortable placement in the annals of pop culture. The Lord of the Apes appears every decade or so for a new spin on the classic tale of the feral child raised by primates to be the king of the jungle, with film adaptations bringing his savage grace to life in numerous live-action and animated outings alike. The most popular version comes from Disney, naturally, who captivated childhood imaginations with their 1999 film. (Either that, or 1997’s blatant ripoff George of the Jungle starring Brendan Fraser, an actor that some scholars believe has lived on to this day.)

The newest iteration of Tarzan comes courtesy of The Legend of Tarzan, a live-action vehicle swinging into theaters of next year. An exclusive sneak peek from USA Today has the first promotional images from the film as well as a plot synopsis, marking this as a hopeful blockbuster for 2016. True Blood’s Alexander Skarsgard bulked up to portray the lead role, who’s much more man than beast when the film sets out. Legend of Tarzan will take a fresh approach to the material, choosing to zag where the usual narrative of Tarzan’s assimilation into human society has historically zigged. Skarsgard’s Tarzan has long since gotten settled in Britain by the time this new film begins, and the adventure concerns his return to his densely forested home and a reconnection with his animal side. The story is not about beast being made man, but man rediscovering his beastly side.

Also attached to this project are Margot Robbie as Tarzan’s loyal wife Jane, and Harry Potters 5-8 director David Yates stepped in behind the camera. How it’ll turn out is really anyone’s guess, but what’s for sure as of right now is that you could do a load of laundry off of Skarsgard’s abs. At this point of inhuman definition, the fascination with his abs takes on a more medical than romantic slant. Like, is that how the human body is supposed to look? Does this mean he’ll live forever?

Tarzan opens in theaters on July 1, 2016.