One of our favorite childhood stories belongs with Rudyard Kipling’s eponymous tale of an orphaned boy growing up in the jungle and making friends and foes with some of the most exotic wild animals. Mowgli’s adventures were one of our own through the pages of Jungle Book. And if you grew up in the 90s, then you were bound to have seen it being played out in Disney’s The Jungle Book and sung along to “Bear Necessities” with Baloo and “I’m the King of the Jungle, the jungle VIP” with King Louie. A remastered version of the original was released, along with a sequel that got Mowgli in touch with the human village and having a boyish crush on the charming Shanti.
Check out the official trailer below:
Now, Disney is bringing an updated Jungle Book, to re-awaken our “wild” fantasies. The movie couldn’t have a better line-up of stars lending their voices to our favorite characters:
Introducing Neel Sethi as Mowgli
Bill Murray as Baloo
Sir Ben Kingsley as Bagheera
Idris Elba as Sher Khan
Lupita Nyong’o as Raksha
Scarlett Johansson as Kaa
Giancarlo Esposito as Akela
Christopher Walken as King Louie
Russell Peters as Rocky the Rhino
among others.
The movie is directed by funnyman Jon Favreau.
For those not already in the know, the storyline is about a young boy who was abandoned in the woods. He is adopted by Baloo the bear, a friendly creature who wants to teach him the ropes about the jungle. However, the wise Bagheera, a black panther, is the voice of reason, saving the mischievous twosome time and again from trouble. There is also the revengeful Sher Khan, a tiger who has no mercy for human beings, considering they are known for the brutal killings and fire-making abilities. Other interesting characters including Kaa the hypnotizing python who tries to make a meal of the young boy. Then there’s King Louie, the monkey who keeps reinstating his dominion over the animal kingdom. Follow the adventures of Mowgli and his jungle friends.
The movie is set for a worldwide release on April 15, 2016.
