The Jungle Book (franchise) as Baloo, Ben Kingsley as Bagheera, Idris Elba as Shere Khan, Scarlett Johansson as Kaa, Lupita Nyong'o as Raksha, Giancarlo Esposito as Akela, and Christopher Walken as King Louie. The film was released on April 15, 2016 to critical acclaim. After a fierce tiger threatens his life, Mowgli, an orphan boy raised by wolves, leaves his jungle home and, guided by a stern panther and a free-spirited bear, sets out on a journey of self-discovery. Following the film's early financial and critical successes, the studio has begun work on a sequel film. Favreau is reported to return as director, while
The Jungle Book the stories, reflecting the irresponsible side of human nature. "The Jungle Book" has remained popular, partly through its many adaptations for film and other media. Critics such as Swati Singh have noted that even critics wary of Kipling for his supposed imperialism have admired the power of his storytelling. The book has been influential in the scout movement, whose founder, Robert Baden-Powell, was a friend of Kipling's. Percy Grainger composed his "Jungle Book Cycle" around quotations from the book. The stories were first published in magazines in 1893–94. The original publications contain illustrations, some by the author's father, John Lockwood