Although The Jungle Book is loaded with some major star power, we won’t actually be seeing their faces come next month. Other than newcomer Neel Sethi, you’ll only be hearing the voices of the rest of the cast, which is incredibly talented. While I’m very interested in seeing what Sethi can do as Mowgli in the Jon Favreau film, it is the voice talents of Idris Elba, Lupita Nyong’o, and others that are getting me to the theater.
The normal movie-going audience isn’t going to know who is voicing which character, so to give those cast members a little spotlight, Disney has released a handful of beautiful portraits featuring the actors and actresses alongside their animal counterparts, their spirit animals if you will. Last year at D23, Jon Favreau said that this film will go next level and be the next step is visual effects. It was hard to believe at first, until that first trailer was released. And now, adding more fuel to the fire that that trailer started, these new images backup those words and then some. In true Disney fashion, instead of just having the actors stand next to a drawing or single image of their character, they go above and beyond to give us the amazing detail of these magnificent digital animals.
Check out the new images below, which comes with a little background on the character and words from those that play them. Jon Favreau’s The jungle Book swings into theaters April 15th, 2016 and stars Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley, Idris Elba, Lupita Nyong’o, Scarlett Johansson, Christopher Walken, Giancarlo Esposito, and Neel Sethi.
Idris Elba / Shere Khan
Voiced by Idris Elba, Shere Khan bears the scars of man, which fuel his hatred of humans. Convinced that Mowgli poses a threat, the bengal tiger is determined to rid the jungle of the man-cub. “Shere Khan reigns with fear,” says Elba. “He terrorizes everyone he encounters because he comes from a place of fear.”
Lupita Nyong’o / Raksha
Lupita Nyong’o voices Raksha, a mother wolf who cares deeply for all of her pups–including man-cub Mowgli, whom she adopts as one of her own when he’s abandoned in the jungle as an infant. “She is the protector, the eternal mother,” says Nyong’o. “The word Raksha actually means protection in Hindi. I felt really connected to that, wanting to protect a son that isn’t originally hers but one she’s taken for her own.”
Scarlett Johansson / Kaa
Kaa is a massive python who uses her voice and hypnotic gaze to entrance Mowgli. The man-cub can’t resist her captivating embrace. “Kaa seduces and entraps Mowgli with her storytelling,” says Scarlett Johansson. “She’s the mirror into Mowgli’s past. The way she moves is very alluring, almost coquettish.”
Ben Kingsley / Bagheera
Bagheera is a sleek panther who feels it’s his duty to help the man-cub depart with dignity when it’s time for him to leave his jungle home. “Bagheera is Mowgli’s adoptive parent,” says Ben Kingsley, who lends his voice to Bagheera. “His role in Mowgli’s life is to educate, to protect and to guide. My Bagheera was military–he’s probably a colonel. He is instantly recognizable by the way he talks, how he acts and what his ethical code is.”
Christopher Walken / King Louie
King Louie is a formidable ape who desperately wants the secret of Man’s deadly “red flower”–fire. He’s convinced Mowgli has the information he seeks. “King Louie is huge–12 feet tall,” says Christopher Walken, who voices the character. “But he’s as charming as he is intimidating when he wants to be.”
Giancarlo Esposito / Akela
Akela is the strong and hardened alpha-male wolf who shoulders the responsibility of his pack. He welcomes Mowgli to the family, but worries he may one day compromise their safety. “Akela is a fierce patriarch of the wolf pack,” says Giancarlo Esposito, who voices the character. “He believes the strength of the pack lies in what each and every wolf offers. He’s a great leader, a wise teacher.”
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I really like these shots.