‘The Americans’ star Matthew Rhys joins ‘Jungle Book Origins’
While production is underway on Andy Serkis’ 3D Jungle Book adaptation, Jungle Book Origins, Warner Bros. Pictures will be adding another star actor with Matthew Rhys.
Rhys plays Phillip, the KGB Russian spy hiding out and infiltrating 1980s America during the Cold War on the FX drama The Americans. He will be playing a human character named John Lockwood.
Scanned image of the cover of the first edition of The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling (1865-18th January 1936), illustrated by John Lockwood Kipling (1837-1911)
Deadline broke the news about the film, which will be the directing debut of Serkis (Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, The Lord of the Rings films, etc.) will feature an all-star cast in a mix of live-action and performance capture.
Serkis’ take on The Jungle Book will explore Mowgli’s human origins.
“Serkis also will produce with Harry Potter writer Steve Kloves and Jonathan Cavendish, Serkis’ partner at his Imaginarium production company. Callie Kloves wrote the adaptation of the classic Rudyard Kipling novel about an orphaned boy raised by animals in the wild,” noted Deadline.
Benedict Cumberbatch, Christian Bale and Cate Blanchett join Serkis to headline a cast which includes Naomie Harris, Jack Reynor, Peter Mullan, Eddie Marsan, Tom Hollander and Rohan Chand as Mowgli.
Jungle Book Origins is set for theaters on October 6, 2017.
