Disney is so bullish on “The Jungle Book,” which hits theaters this Friday, that it is already in talks to bring back director Jon Favreau and screenwriter Justin Marks for a sequel, an individual familiar with the project has told TheWrap.
Neel Sethi, who plays Mowgli in the film, will also return for “Jungle Book 2,” which would be produced by Favreau. Marks’ script would draw from additional works by “Jungle Book” author Rudyard Kipling.
The voice cast is also expected to return, including Bill Murray as Baloo the bear, Ben Kingsley as Bagheera the panther, Scarlett Johansson as Kaa the snake and Lupita Nyong’o as Raksha the mother wolf.
“The Jungle Book” is getting strong reviews, and word-of-mouth could propel the live-action/CG hybrid to the billion-dollar mark at the box office. The film grossed nearly $32 million at the international box office, opening at No. 1 in all foreign markets.
Disney’s upcoming films include a sequel to “Alice in Wonderland,” a live-action take on “Beauty and the Beast” and a remake of “Pete’s Dragon.”