The Jon Favreau-directed live action film adaptation of “The Jungle Book” is chock full of A-list talent. Lupita Nyong’o, Giancarlo Esposito, Christopher Walken, Ben Kingsley, Idris Elba and Scarlett Johansson are part of the cast that’s led by 10-year-old Neel Sethi in his film debut. But one character has gone without an actor attached until now.
All of the characters have been covered, with Walken voicing the Disney-created character King Louie, Esposito as wolf pack leader Akela, Kingsley as panther Bagheera, Nyong’o as Mowgli’s adopted wolf mother Raksha, Elba as tiger Shere Khan, Johansson as the python, Kaa and Sethi as Mowgli himself. But who’s going to play Baloo, Mowgli’s bear friend? Bill Murray, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Murray seems like a great choice for the role and if we can thank the “Garfield” films from anything, its that Murray has some experience voicing an animal.
“The Jungle Book” is quickly becoming the most buzzed-about films due to the high-powered cast. It’s also talked about because this is one of two “Jungle Book” films coming out soon. The other film–also live action–will be directed by Andy Serkis. The Favreau-directed film will be in theaters Oct. 9, 2015, while the Serkis-directed film will be in theaters Oct. 21, 2016.
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