Disney Sets 'Ghost in the Shell' with Scarlett Johansson for 2017

Relax, everybody. It's not the end of the world that Scarlett Johansson has taken the lead role in Disney's live-action adaptation of anime Ghost in the Shell. She's playing a friggin' cyborg so just chill out with all the "white-washing" chatter, okay? Besides, who knows what will happen in the two years you've got until the film comes out. Disney has now set the Rupert Sanders-directed film for release on April 14th 2017, a week after Guillermo Del Toro's Pacific Rim 2.

What else? Disney has also bumped Jon Favreau's visual effects-heavy version of The Jungle Book back six weeks to April 15th 2016. That will give Favreau more time for post-production, and it allows Disney to move up Coast Guard drama The Finest Hours to October 9th 2015. The film stars Casey Affleck and Chris Pine and is based on a true story.

Finally, David Lowery's non-musical remake of Pete's Dragon will spring to life on August 12th 2016. The film stars Robert Redford, Oakes Fegley, Michael C. Hall, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Oona Lawrence. It centers on an orphan boy who befriends a giant imaginary dragon.

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Bill Murray Voicing Baloo in 'The Jungle Book'; 'The Jungle Book: Origins' Set for 2016

Because Hollywood has no qualms about giving you the same story twice in the span of a few months, there are two CGI/live-action adaptations of The Jungle Book on the way. Jon Favreau is heading up one for Disney that has assembled a starry voice cast to go along with release date in 2015. But Andy Serkis is also assembling a version which he'll direct for Warner Bros., and now we're seeing steps taken on both movies.

First up, Bill Murray will voice Baloo in Favreau's The Jungle Book, joining a cast that includes Lupita Nyong'o, Scarlett Johansson, Ben Kingsley, Idris Elba, Christopher Walken, and newcomer Neel Sethi as the orphan, Mowgli. Murray has voiced animated characters before, starring in two (!!!) movies as the lasagna-eating cat, Garfield. The Jungle Book opens October 9th 2015.

And then there's Serkis' film, which has just been titled The Jungle Book: Origins to avoid any confusion. Warner Bros. has been moving slowly on this one as there has yet to be any casting, but they have created some space between the competing flicks by setting an October 21st 2016 date.

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Eva Green is 'Miss Peregrine'; Christopher Walken Joins 'The Jungle Book'

It was a little disappointing that Eva Green wasn't on hand to hype Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, she IS the titular dame after all, but that's okay because there will be plenty of chances to see her elsewhere. The Penny Dreadful star is in talks to lead Tim Burton's adaptation of Ranson Riggs’ Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. The project has been in the works for about three years but finally seems to be moving now that Burton is finished with Big Eyes, a potential awards film starring Amy Adams and Christoph Waltz. The story centers on 16-year old Jacob, whose grandfather told him fantastic stories of an orphanage where the residents were gifted with amazing abilities. When his grandfather dies, Jacob sets out to find the orphanage, and discovers it's rundown remains. He comes to learn that the kids may have been there because they were dangerous, and it's possible they may still be around. Green, who would play the title character and guardian of the children, worked with Burton on Dark Shadows. [Variety]

Another children's book being brought to life is Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book, and Jon Favreau's live-action adaptation has just added a couple of wily veterans. Christopher Walken and Giancarlo Esposito will lend their voices to the film as King Louie and Akela, respectively. They join Neel Sethi, Lupita Nyong'o, Ben Kingsley, Idris Elba, and Scarlett Johannson. The Jungle Book opens October 9th 2015.

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Emma Roberts and Zachary Quinto Join 'Michael'; Neel Sethi Swings to 'The Jungle Book'

 * Emma Roberts got to make out with James Franco in the adaptation of his book, Palo Alto, and now she'll get to play his girl once again in Michael, a film which tells the true story of a gay activist who evolves into an anti-gay Christian minister. Zachary Quinto and Chris Zylka are also coming aboard as two of the title character's past boyfriends. Benoit Denizet-Lewis wrote the New York Times article from which the film is based, with Gus Van Sant protege Justin Kelly directing. [Variety]

* After a lengthy worldwide casting search, 10-year-old newcomer Neel Sethi has won the role of Mowgli in Jon Favreau's The Jungle Book. He'll be the only human actor seen in the film as Idris Elba, Scarlett Johansson, Lupita Nyong'o and Ben Kingsley will be voicing the many CG-animated animals from Rudyard Kipling's novel. The Jungle Book will be released in 3D on October 9th 2015.

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Ben Kingsley Joins 'The Jungle Book'; Rooney Mara Enters 'A House In the Sky'; 'High-Rise' Adds Elisabeth Moss

* Jon Favreau's had his fun in the indie world with Chef but now it's time to pay the bills. He's directing Disney's 3D live-action version of The Jungle Book, and the already great voice cast just got better with the addition of Ben Kingsley. Kingsley will voice Bagheera, a black panther who becomes a friend to Mowgli, a human boy left in the jungle and raised by the animals. Scarlett Johansson, Idris Elba, and Lupita Nyong'o will voice other characters when The Jungle Book opens October 29th 2015.

* Rooney Mara is set to produce and star in A House in the Sky, an adaptation of Amanda Lindhout and Sara Corbett's memoir. Mara will play Lindhout, who in 2008 was abducted in Mogadishu by a terrorist group and held captive for 15 months and subjected to terrible abuses. No word on a writer or director yet but with Annapurna Pictures backing this one don't be surprised if it has awards potential.

* Ben Wheatley is putting together an amazing cast for his adaptation of J.G. Ballard's dystopian novel, High-Rise. Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men) and James Purefoy (The Following) have come aboard, joining Tom Hiddleston, Sienna Miller, Jeremy Irons, and Luke Evans in the film set inside a luxury high-rise where a violent tribal uprising is taking place.

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Lupita Nyong'o and Scarlett Johansson in Talks for Disney's 'The Jungle Book'

There are some people I know whose entire day seems to revolve around posting glamorous pictures of Oscar-winner Lupita Nyong'o on Facebook. And to be fair, they have plenty of snaps to pick from as she seems to be mugging for the camera everywhere. Admittedly, she's extremely gorgeous and very talented, so much so that People magazine just named her the most beautiful person in the world. And now her day has gotten even better as she and Scarlett Johansson are now in talks for Jon Favreau's The Jungle Book.

The live-action/CGI adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's classic children's book already has Idris Elba set to voice Shere Khan, and now Nyong'o will play Rakcha the wolf with Johansson voicing Kaa the snake. No word on who will take on the lead role of the orphan, Mowgli, who is raised by a jungle of animals. Johansson continues to stick close to projects Favreau is directing. She made her Marvel debut in his Iron Man 2, and has a small role in Chef which opens next month.

Disney has set The Jungle Book for October 29th 2015, and they'll be racing to beat out the version Warner Bros. is putting together.  [THR]

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Andy Serkis to Direct 'The Jungle Book' for Warner Bros.

As Disney moved forward with their live-action adaptation of The Jungle Book, with Jon Favreau directing and Idris Elba voicing Shere Khan, Warner Bros. had been stuck in neutral. Alejandro Gonzalez-Inarritu had been set to direct before he dropped out, with the studio turning to Ron Howard, instead. But it turns out it won't be Howard at the helm, as it will be Andy Serkis making his feature debut.

Talks with Howard didn't make it very far, and so Warner Bros. has turned to Serkis, who has a wealth of motion capture experience to draw from. It will come in handy for a film that will have plenty of CGI animals making up the story of Mowgli, an Indian orphan raised in the jungle.  While this may be Serkis' first time in charge of a project such as this, he's been getting plenty of training as 2nd Unit Director on Peter Jackson's The Hobbit trilogy. He specifically worked on the brilliant barrel chase scene in The Desolation of Smaug.

Serkis had been looking to make his debut on an adaptation of Animal Farm, but who knows where that production is at now. He'll be seen next as Caesar in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.  What are the chances we see Serkis suit up as Baloo? [THR]

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Idris Elba is Voice of Shere Khan in 'The Jungle Book'

There are two live-action adaptations of Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book on the way, and most of the attention has been focused on Warner Bros.' project with Ron Howard recently coming aboard to direct. But Disney has Jon Favreau at the helm of their version, and it just gained a heavy dose of star power with Idris Elba coming aboard to lend his regal voice.

Elba will take on the voice role of Shere Khan, the evil Bengal tiger and one of Disney's most memorable villains. It's Khan who seeks to kill the human orphan Mowgli while the rest of the jungle animals tries to protect him. It's a smart move for Disney as Elba has a distinct, powerful voice that commands respect, and should be perfect for Khan.

Oscar-winner Rob Legato is overseeing the special effects, which will be a combination of live-action and CG. The Jungle Book opens October 9th 2015. [Deadline]

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Ron Howard Swings to 'The Jungle Book'

Ron Howard's thrilling Formula One film, Rush, probably deserved more love than it received. While it performed reasonably well at the box office, for a racing movie anyway, it didn't attract the eye of Academy Awards voters. And maybe the lukewarm reception to Rush is what has driven him to his next move, taking on a potential franchise in Warner Bros.' live-action adaptation of The Jungle Book.

THR reports that Howard is in talks to direct and produce The Jungle Book, taking over for Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu who dropped out a month ago.  Steve Kloves' daughter Callie wrote the script, adapting Rudyard Kipling's classic children's book about Mowgli, an orphaned boy raised in the jungle by animals.

The move was crucial as Warner Bros. is racing to keep up with Disney's version which has Jon Favreau directing. The studio is probably going to want Howard to jump into this next after he wraps up In the Heart of the Sea. He also recently became attached to drug-world thriller Mena, and has been developing Stephen King's The Dark Tower for the big screen.

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Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu Exits 'The Jungle Book'

Already embarking on his most mainstream film to date with the comedy, Birdman, it seemed odd that he would go from that to a potential blockbuster like The Jungle Book. Last month it looked as if Warner Bros. had snapped him up for their adaptation of the Rudyard Kipling book, but now he's had a change of heart and bounced from the project.

Deadline reports scheduling conflicts as the reason for Inarritu's departure, and it may be due to his plans to finally get moving on long-developing revenge film, The Revenant. A new director will have to be found for the film, being developed by Hollywood powerhouse Steve Kloves and written by his daughter, Callie.

Meanwhile, Disney is still moving forward with their rival live-action version to be directed by Jon Favreau.

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Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu Eyes Warner Bros.' 'The Jungle Book'

Disney may already have Jon Favreau helming their live-action version of The Jungle Book for 2015, but Warner Bros. has been developing their own, as well. Superstar scribe Steve Kloves, who wrote nearly all of the Harry Potter movies, was tapped to produce and pen the script with his daughter Callie, and now they're looking bring in Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu as director.

Inarritu is in early talks for the Rudyard Kipling adaptation, which will be a new take on the material and different than the version Disney is putting together. Inarritu is best known for emotionally tough dramas like Amores Perros, 21 Grams, Biutiful, and Babel, making this his first crack at a franchise film. Maybe he saw the success his Mexican colleagues Guillermo Del Toro and Alfonso Cuaron have had in the blockbuster realm this year? He's been moving in a different direction of late as his next film is the ensemble superhero comedy Birdman so consider this just another step in the evolution of his career.

No word on when this will roll, especially with the number of projects Inarritu has lined up, but it could be wise to get as much distance from Disney's film as possible. Favreau and Inarritu couldn't be more different as directors so there's little chance of them having the tone.

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'Alice in Wonderland 2' Gets 2016 Date; Johnny Depp & Mia Wasikowska to Return

Just as Disney hasn't wasted any time securing far off release dates for their Marvel properties, they're doing the same thing for the sequel to Tim Burton's $1B-grossing Alice in Wonderland. Burton won't be back for this one, though, with James Bobin (The Muppets) taking over, and while it took awhile for a deal to get worked out it appears that Johnny Depp and Mia Wasikowska will be back. And now that the pieces are in place, Disney will send Alice in Wonderland 2 down the rabbit hole on May 27th 2016.

As for plot details? Well, who knows what original writer Linda Woolverton will come up with to keep Depp in crazy hair and hats. Speaking of which, this news probably means we won't see Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales until possibly late 2016 or 2017.

A couple of other release dates: Disney has set Jon Favreau's The Jungle Book for October 9th 2015, and Ron Howard's In the Heart of the Sea will set sail on March 13th 2015 because that year isn't busy enough.

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Jon Favreau In Talks to Direct Live-Action 'The Jungle Book' for Disney

After beginning his filmmaking career in the indie pool with Made, Jon Favreau has mostly been playing in the blockbuster sandbox. After a couple of high-priced family films, followed by the first two Iron Man movies and the disastrous Cowboys & Aliens, Favreau has since gone back to his art house roots for Chef, which he's filming right now. And it looks like after that's finished he'll jump back in the studio tentpole realm for Disney's remake of The Jungle Book.

Favreau is in talks to direct the adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's novel, which Disney turned into their classic 1967 animated film. Announced last summer, the live-action film will feature a script by Justin Marks who will attempt to bring something new to the story of feral child Mowgli and his talking animal pals. So what are "The Bare Necessities" for this version? Favreau told Deadline....

Favreau: “I can’t say that much, but there is an interesting take that could be very cool, and the hope is to relaunch a family brand with certain mythic elements. It is my first real family film since 'Elf,' and there are action elements and visual effects that I feel like my experience on the 'Iron Man' films are going to be useful.”

 Filming is set to begin next year, and this news probably puts the kibosh on the adaptation Warner Bros. had been planning.

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Disney Developing Live-Action Reboot of 'The Jungle Book'

Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book is definitely part of the public domain, but chances are most think of it as one of Disney's animated classics, thanks to the 1967 film most saw as kids. Disney probably recognizes this as well, and as they've been busy developing live-action versions of Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty aka Maleficent, they've begun gathering the "bare necessities" to bring The Jungle Book to the silver screen.

Justin Marks, who drafted David Fincher's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, has been hired to begin penning an adaptation of Kipling's 19th century collection of stories centered on Mowgli, a young boy raised in the jungle by animals. While Disney has a leg up on notoriety thanks to the previous film, they will face some stiff competition from Warner Bros., who are developing their own live-action film from Harry Potter scribe, Steve Kloves.

Disney has been trying to get The Jungle Book right for awhile, releasing a live-action film in 1994 that starred Cary Elwes and Jason Scott Lee. And then there was the 1998 straight-to-DVD The Jungle Book: Mowgli's Story, which featured the oddball cast of Earth Kitt, Clancy Brown, Stephen Tobolowsky, and Fred Savage. As you probably guessed, it's pretty terrible. [THR]

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