Jungle Book 2: Disney already working on sequel with Jon Favreau
The film has yet to hit UK or US cinemas
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Your support makes all the difference.Although The Jungle Book hasn’t reached cinemas yet, Disney is so confident in the film that a sequel is already in the works.
Having previously launched the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Iron Man and Iron Man 2, Jon Favreau is in negotiations to return, as is screenwriter Justin Marks, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Disney is likely impressed by the current figures propelling The Jungle Book forward: although it has yet to release in most major territories - including the UK and North America - the film has already grossed $31 million from Asia and Latin America.
In Indian, the film has been a huge hit, earning $8.4 million in its first week, making it the second-highest opening for a Western release there. Critics have praised the film highly, with the film currently holding a 100 percent ‘fresh’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
The film also features an all-star voice cast, including the likes of Bill Murray as Baloo the bear, Scarlet Johansson as Kaa the snake, and Christopher Walken as King Louie the Gigantopithecus. Neel Sethi - who plays Mowlgi - is the only non-CGI actor on screen for any significant amount of time.
It’s no wonder The Mouse has therefore jumped on the franchise opportunity, especially with so much source material to work with (Rudyard Kipling’s book and the animated adaptations).
However, could Jungle Book overload be on the horizon? Earlier this week, Andy Serkis revealed that his own adaptation of the books - previously titled Jungle Book: Origins - would be delayed until 2018.
Meanwhile, Favreau made headlines when PETA awarded him their Innovation In Film award for "making the compassionate decision to use stunning cruelty-free CGI technology” to animate the animal characters.
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