Disney is developing a sequel to “The Jungle Book,” which opens Friday in the U.S.
The studio is talks with director Jon Favreau and screenwriter Justin Marks to return for “Jungle Book 2.” Disney’s also negotiating with Favreau and Brigham Taylor to return as producers.
The live-action-CG hybrid is expected to dominate the domestic market this weekend. Critics have embraced the movie with some of the best reviews of the year for a studio production.
“The Jungle Book” grossed $28.9 million during the past weekend in a number of Asian and Latin American territories, including $7.6 million from India, the second highest industry opening for an American release. It also grossed $6.2 million in Russia, $2.6 million in Australia.
Besides the U.S. launch on Friday, “The Jungle Book” will also debut this weekend in China, Brazil, France and Mexico.
The movie is based on the Rudyard Kipling stories about Mowgli, an abandoned human boy who becomes friends with jungle animals after being raised by wolves. Disney released an animated version in 1967.
Favreau’s film includes Bill Murray voicing Baloo the bear, Ben Kingsley as Begheera the panther, Scarlet Johansson as Kaa the snake and Lupita Nyong’o as Raksha the mother wolf. Newcomer Neel Sethi stars as Mowgli.
Kipling’s “The Jungle Book” is a collection of stories published in magazines in 1893–94. The works are in the public domain.
Warner Bros. is in production on a live-action “The Jungle Book” with Andy Serkis directing. It announced last week that it had moved the release date back a year to 2018.
The news about the Disney sequel was first reported by The Hollywood Reporter.