WALT Disney Pictures brings “The Jungle Book” to life in an all-new, live-action epic adventure.
Directed by Jon Favreau, “The Jungle Book” follows the classic story of Mowgli (played by Neel Sethi), a feral child raised by a family of wolves.
However, Mowgli finds he is no longer welcome in the jungle when fearsome tiger Shere Khan, who bears the scars of Man, promises to eliminate what he sees as a threat. Urged to abandon the only home he has ever known, Mowgli embarks on a journey of self-discovery, guided by panther-turned-stern mentor Bagheera, and the free-spirited bear Baloo.
Along the way, Mowgli encounters jungle creatures who do not exactly have his best interests at heart, including Kaa, a python whose seductive voice and gaze hypnotizes the man-cub, and the smooth-talking King Louie, who tries to coerce Mowgli into giving up the secret to the elusive and deadly red flower: fire.
Based on Rudyard Kipling’s timeless stories, “The Jungle Book” is inspired by Disney’s classic animated film, with an approach all its own.
Mythic qualities
“We embrace the mythic qualities of Kipling in the more intense tonal aspects of the film,” says director Favreau, “but we left room for what we remember from the ’67 film, and sought to maintain those charming Disneyesque aspects.”
The all-star cast lends their voice to the characters in the film. Bill Murray as the voice of Baloo, Ben Kingsley as Bagheera, Idris Elba as Shere Khan,and Lupita Nyong’o as Raksha, Scarlett Johansson as Kaa and Christopher Walken as King Louie.
Filmmakers employed up-to-the-minute technology to tell the story in a contemporary and immersive way, blending live-action performances with stunning CG environments and extraordinary photo-real animal characters that artists stylized to elevate the storytelling.
“‘The Jungle Book’ is a universal coming-of-age story that everyone can relate to,” says producer Brigham Taylor. “Walt told the story through traditional cell animation and now we have the technology to actually bring these characters to life, make them photo-real and put a real kid into the environment in a seamless, believable way. The opportunity to be able to show that with today’s technology was irresistible.”
Love of India
Bombay-born, English writer Rudyard Kipling channeled his love of India in 1894’s “The Jungle Book,” followed by “The Second Jungle Book” in 1895. The stories also introduced readers to India for the first time.
Kipling, who wrote the stories while starting a family in Vermont, published additional books and short story collections, and ultimately became the highest-paid writer in the world at age 32. He received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1907.
Walt Disney Animation Studios’ animated movie “The Jungle Book,” directed by Wolfgang Reitherman, was overhauled when Walt Disney felt that early drafts, which retained the darker tone of Kipling’s stories, were too serious.
Released on Oct. 18, 1967, a year after Disney’s death, the film became a beloved classic. With iconic songs like Terry Gilkyson’s “The Bare Necessities” and the Sherman Brothers’ “I Wanna Be Like You,” the film’s soundtrack still inspires instantaneous humming and toe tapping today.
“The Jungle Book” opens nationwide on April 7.