Director Jon Favreau's live-action adaptation of the classic cartoon "The Jungle Book" is arriving in cinemas in less than a month and Disney'a emphasizing the "live" in "live-action" by releasing photos of the great beasts in the film alongside the talented actors voicing them.
Young actor Neel Sethi is, of course, the only human in the film since he plays Mowgli, so it makes sense that Disney would have had to find another way to feature the big stars in the film even if their roles are that of a computer-graphic (CG) jungle animal.
Before you take a look at the photos of the cast, watch the incredible trailer below first and see if you are correct in identifying the actor to their CG animal.
First up is the wolf pack that adopts the mancub, Mowgli. The pack is headed by the strong and wise alpha named Akela. He is voiced by Giancarlo Esposito, who sees his wolf character as a great leader and teacher.
"He believes the strength of the pack lies in what each and every wolf offers," Esposito says.
Lupita Nyong'o has jumped from one CG character to another. From Maz Kanata of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," she has now taken on another strong female CG role in Raksha.
"She is the protector, the eternal mother ... 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," Nyong'o explains.
Bagheera, Mowgli's self-appointed protector voiced by Ben Kingsley, says that his version of the panther is more military than the one in the animated version.
"He is instantly recognizable by the way he talks, how he acts and what his ethical code is," Kingsley said.
On the other side are Mowgli's predators: King Louie, Kaa and the fearsome Shere Khan.
Most people would probably remember the song and dance number of the monkeys, orangutans and apes in the cartoon "Jungle Book," in which King Louie sings about how he wants to be like the mancub. Christopher Walken's King Louie, however, is a 12-foot-tall, and equal parts charming and intimidating.
Kaa, the python that hypnotizes Mowgli in the cartoons before attempting to devour him, has a different way of capturing the mancub in this version.
"Kaa seduces and entraps Mowgli with her storytelling," Scarlett Johansson reveals.
Last, but definitely not the least - because he is the most fearsome of all - is Shere Khan, the one that had experienced the cruelty of man and determined to eliminate the mancub. The terrifying Tiger is voiced by Idris Elba, who seems to understand why Shere Khan is the way he is.
"He terrorizes everyone he encounters because he comes from a place of fear," he explains.
The photos of the actors and their CG animals are pretty amazing, and, no, we didn't miss anyone. Baloo is probably still napping. His photo may make it to the album if he hurries up, but if he doesn't make it, then he will just have to wait with all of us until "The Jungle Book" opens on April 15.
