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Jon Favreau discusses The Jungle Book

April 17, 2016

A DGA Q&A in Los Angeles

Rudyard Kipling’s classic tale of a young boy’s fight for survival in the jungle is brought to life in Director Jon Favreau’s new fantasy feature, The Jungle Book.

The Jungle Book retells the story of Mowgli (Neel Sethi), a young “mancub” raised by wolves in an Indian jungle. His carefree days of running with the pack are curtailed when the homicidal tiger Shere Khan (voiced by Idris Elba) demands that Mowgli be turned over to him or he will decimate the clan. In order to avoid the deaths of his loved ones, Mowgli attempts to leave his home guided by his panther guardian Bagheera (Ben Kingsley) and his new friend, the jolly con artist bear Baloo (Bill Murray). But a treacherous act by Shere Khan makes Mowgli determined to face his tormentor, even though it could mean his end.

Following the DGA screening in Los Angeles on April 17 in a conversation moderated by Director Donald Petrie (Atlantic Gold), Favreau spoke about the multiplicity of challenges he had to overcome to bring this well-loved-story to the screen with a cast of photo-realistic CG characters in a 3D setting.

In addition to The Jungle Book, Favreau’s work includes the feature films Made, Elf, Zathura: A Space Adventure, Iron Man and Chef; the movies for television Smog, Bad Cop, Bad Cop and Life on Parole; and the pilots for the series In Case of Emergency, Revolution and About a Boy. Favreau, who also serves as the Fifth Vice President of the DGA, has been a member of the Guild since 1997.

 

Pictures & Video

photos by Shane Karns - print courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures

View slideshow
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FULL TALK (32:22): Director Jon Favreau discusses his latest film, The Jungle Book, with Director Donald Petrie.
Watch Highlight
HIGHLIGHT: Favreau talks about his decision to cast Seth Neeli as Mowgli from 2,000 other children from around the world.
Watch Highlight
HIGHLIGHT: Favreau discusses working with the cast to record the voices of the characters and how he found room for improvisation in the meticulously planned environment of a visual effects film.
Watch Highlight
HIGHLIGHT: Director Jon Favreau tells how the story developed during pre-production and distinguished itself from the book as well as the 1967 animated film using the example of how the elephants were portrayed in his film.
Members of the DGA Los Angeles Theater watch Director Jon Favreau’s new 3D feature The Jungle Book.
The ‘mancub’ Mowgli (Neel Sethi) and his young wolf brother Gray learn the law of the pack in Jon Favreau’s The Jungle Book. – photo © Disney Enterprises, Inc.
Director Jon Favreau speaks about the making of The Jungle Book following the DGA membership screening in Los Angeles.
The ‘mancub’ Mowgli (Neel Sethi) learns about the “Bear Necessities” from his pal Baloo (voiced by Bill Murray) in Jon Favreau’s The Jungle Book. – photo © Disney Enterprises, Inc.
Director Jon Favreau speaks about the making of The Jungle Book with Director Donald Petrie (moderator) following the DGA membership screening in Los Angeles.
Mowgli (Neel Sethi) is brought before King Louie of the apes (voiced by Christopher Walken) in Jon Favreau’s The Jungle Book. – photo © Disney Enterprises, Inc.
Director Donald Petrie (moderator) asks Director Jon Favreau a question about the making of The Jungle Book following the DGA membership screening in Los Angeles.
The homicidal tiger Shere Kahn (voiced by Idris Elba) presents a clear and present danger in Jon Favreau’s The Jungle Book. – photo © Disney Enterprises, Inc.
A packed audience in the DGA Los Angeles Theater hear Directors Jon Favreau and Donald Petrie (moderator) discuss the making of Favreau’s The Jungle Book.
Mowgli (Neel Sethi), Bagheera, Baloo, Raksha and other friends band together in the face of danger in Jon Favreau’s The Jungle Book. – photo © Disney Enterprises, Inc.
Directors Jon Favreau and Donald Petrie (moderator) pose for a photo following the DGA screening of The Jungle Book in Los Angeles.

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