The Jungle Book is one of Disney’s treasured animated classics, the last film to be overseen by Walt Disney before his death. Director Jon Favreau, who is currently working on updating it as a live-action/animation hybrid, has a tough road ahead of him. Although we won’t see any of his footage from the film anytime soon, we do know that he has been knocking it out of the park in the casting department. Today, Disney announced that Breaking Bad actor Giancarlo Esposito and the legendary Christopher Walken have been added to the cast. Find out who they will be playing after the break!
In a sprawling cast that already includes Ben Kingsley as Bagheera, Lupita Nyong’o as Raksha, Idris Elba as Shere Khan, and Scarlett Johansson as Kaa, Walken will take on the role of King Louie, while Esposito will tackle Akela, the head wolf. Walken seems to be a perfect choice for Louie, as anyone who has seen the original classic or even the TV series Talespin will tell you. There is a certain care-free attitude that Walken is able to capture in his voice, making him a great choice for Louie. Esposito, meanwhile, best known as Gus Fring from Breaking Bad, is fantastic at giving an air of mystery and gravitas to his character, so it will be fun to see where he takes Akela.
The Jungle Book is scheduled to bow in theaters on October 9, 2015.