(CBR) The race to get a live-action “Jungle Book” movie to the big screen has taken a very interesting turn.
Whereas Disney and Jon Favreau”s “The Jungle Book” has Idris Elba, the Warner Bros. adaptation of the Rudyard Kipling tale has tapped Andy Serkis. The motion-capture mastermind behind “The Lord of the Rings”, “The Hobbit”, “King Kong” and the new “Planet of the Apes” films has been hired to direct the studio”s take Rudyard Kipling”s classic tale, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Serkis takes on the director role from “Babel” filmmaker Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, and ends speculation that Ron Howard might board the project. However, it”s unknown whether Serkis will appear in the film. One has to imagine he”ll have some role to play, given his expertise in the motion-capture arena.