Principal photography has begun on Warner Bros. Pictures' new big-screen, 3D adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s beloved classicThe Jungle Book, marking the feature film directorial debut ofAndy Serkis. Blending live action and performance capture, the film features an impressive roster of stars, including Oscar winnersChristian BaleandCate Blanchettand Oscar nomineeBenedict Cumberbatch.
The story follows the upbringing of the human child Mowgli, raised by a wolf pack in the jungles of India. As he learns the often harsh rules of the jungle, under the tutelage of a bear named Baloo and a panther named Bagheera, Mowgli becomes accepted by the animals of the jungle as one of their own. All but one: the fearsome tiger Shere Khan. But there may be greater dangers lurking in the jungle, as Mowgli comes face to face with his human origins.
The actors performing the roles of the story’s central animal characters are:Benedict Cumberbatch(The Imitation Game,The Hobbit: The Battle of The Five Armies) as the tiger, Shere Khan;Cate Blanchett(Blue Jasmine,Cinderella) as Kaa, the snake;Christian Bale(“The Fighter,” the “Dark Knight” Trilogy) as the panther, Bagheera;Andy Serkis(Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,The Lord of the RingsTrilogy) as Baloo, the bear;Peter Mullan(Hercules,War Horse) as the leader of the wolf pack, Akela;Tom Hollander(thePirates of the Caribbeanmovies,Pride & Prejudice) as the scavenging hyena, Tabaqui;Naomie Harris(Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom,Skyfall) as Nisha, the female wolf, who adopts the baby Mowgli as one of her cubs;Eddie Marsan(Snow White and the Huntsman,Sherlock Holmes) as Nisha’s mate, Vihaan; andJack Reynor(Transformers: Age of Extinction) as Mowgli’s Brother Wolf. On the human side, young actorNaomie Harris(The Hundred-Foot Journey,Lone Survivor) will play the boy raised by wolves, Mowgli.
The film is being produced bySteve Kloves, who wrote seven of the blockbusterHarry Potterfilms, and Jonathan Cavendish (Elizabeth: The Golden Age,Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason), with Nikki Penny (Gravity) serving as executive producer. The screenplay is byCallie Kloves, based on the stories by Kipling. Among those collaborating withSerkisbehind the scenes are production designerGary Freeman(Cinderella), Oscar-winning editorMark Sanger(Gravity) and Oscar-winning costume designerAlexandra Byrne(Elizabeth: The Golden Age). The film is slated for release on July 18, 2025.
