Benedict Cumberbatch Given Lead Voice Role In The Jungle Book

[Fanghawk]

Benedict Cumberbatch Given Lead Voice Role In The Jungle Book

Benedict Cumberbatch will lend his voice to Shere Khan for Warner Bros. upcoming The Jungle Book: Origins.

If we're being honest, I think we can agree that <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/tag/view/benedict%20cumberbatch>Benedict Cumberbatch kinda has an amazing voice. He has a vocal range that can come across as soothing and threatening all at the same time, something which made him perfect as Smaug in <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/escape-to-the-movies/8573-The-Hobbit-The-Desolation-of-Smaug>The Hobbit. It also makes Cumberbatch an ideal voice actor for other villainous roles, which explains why he'll be Shere Khan in Andy Serkis' The Jungle Book: Origins.

<a href=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Jungle_Book#cite_note-27>The Jungle Book is one of the most famous works of English author Rudyard Kipling, and has been adapted to film several times since its 1894 publication. Most versions of the tale introduce a conflict between Mowgli, a boy raised by wolves in the Indian Jungle, and Shere Khan, a tiger obsessed with killing the human cub. The 1967 animated film is probably the best known, although it took liberties with the original characters and was more family-friendly than Kipling's dark original.

Cumberbatch's addition will also help the film stand out from a second Jungle Book project at Disney. Serkis' film, produced by Warner Bros., is competing against an adaptation directed by Jon Favreau, featuring Idris Elba as Shere Khan and <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/136603-Bill-Murray-to-Voice-Baloo-in-Live-Action-The-Jungle-Book-Movie>Bill Murray as Baloo. That's not to say each version tells the same story; the title of Jungle Book: Origins heavily implies a prequel focus, presumably in the vein of Wicked or Dracula Untold.

Regardless, Cumberbatch and Elba should provide excellent performances of Shere Khan, even if viewers ask "Wait... didn't we see this already?" I also imagine Cumberbatch's role in the film might fuel several Sherlock Khan memes: It's just too good an opportunity to pass up.

The Jungle Book: Origins will reach theaters in October 2016, while Disney's adaptation launches in October 2015.

Source: <a href=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/benedict-cumberbatch-joins-jungle-book-726146>Hollywood Reporter

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[Something Amyss]

I'm pretty sure Cumberbatch is Shere Khan, taken human form to better stalk us.

KHAAAAAAN!

 

[Ratty]

Huh. He strikes me as more of a Bagheera. Should be interesting anyway.

 

[Fanghawk]

Huh. He strikes me as more of a Bagheera. Should be interesting anyway.

OH MAN he would be an amazing Bagheera!

Can he... can he do both?

 

[Saulkar]

Huh. He strikes me as more of a Bagheera. Should be interesting anyway.

OH MAN he would be an amazing Bagheera!

Can he... can he do both?

I would definitely prefer Bagheera as I fear they will over-postprocess his voice like they did in his performance of Smaug who could have been played by a large pool of other actors and I would not have noticed a difference. With a softer personality like Bagheera, I would assume a much more natural performance.

 

[McGuinty1]

As soon as I read the article title, my brain went, "it's Shere Khan, it has to be." Saulkar, I really don't think they would have to do anything of the sort, I'm sure Benedict could manage any sort of requirement they might have by adding feline qualities to his performance. I can understand why they did it with Smaug, because even a great actor like him might find it impossible to imbue his voice with the sort of scale (pun not intended) required for a huge dragon. IMO, I thought they still let enough of Benedict's vocal qualities shine through the manipulation that it was immediately recognizable as him. I took my parents to see it and my mom turned to me and said, "is that Benedict Cumberbatch?"

 

[Saulkar]

IMO, I thought they still let enough of Benedict's vocal qualities shine through the manipulation that it was immediately recognizable as him. I took my parents to see it and my mom turned to me and said, "is that Benedict Cumberbatch?"

Then again, I have a rather bothersome level of autism that makes it incredibly difficult to decrypt a person's voice. Sarcasm, calm anger, sadness, frustration and stress, most none of it is discernible to me. I guess that recognizing a person who their speech pattern (barring Mr. Walken) is another intricacy of social interaction where I am inept.

 

[Albino Boo]

What, where are the cries of whitewashing? All the animals are Indian and yet there are no Indians in the cast, come on social justice warriors you must try harder. This the third part that Cumberbatch has stolen that should have gone to an Indian actor. He is a multiple offender and yet no one complains

 

[Queen Michael]

Now this sounds like a movie I'd watch.

 

[Chimpzy_v1legacy]

So, is Cumberbatch playing two Kahn roles a coincidence or is he collecting them now? Will he be in the lead role in the biography of Chaka Khan? Food for thought.

 

[Fasckira]

Martin Freeman for the voice of Bagheera!

 

[Thaluikhain]

"The Jungle Book: Origins"?

...

Yeah, sticking ":Origins" on the end is a good sign.

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

Huh. He strikes me as more of a Bagheera. Should be interesting anyway.

That's who I thought he was going to be too... ah well... Idris Elba is a fantastic choice for Shere Khan.

 

[Smolderin]

Oh wow, there is so much YES in this piece of news. Cumberpatch is damned amazing.

 

[Imperioratorex Caprae]

I didn't have to read the article. Jungle Book plus Benedict "I am villain incarnate" Cumberbatch equals Shere Khan or you failed basic drama and should be shot out of a cannon into the sun.

 

[Palindromemordnilap_v1legacy]

What, where are the cries of whitewashing? All the animals are Indian and yet there are no Indians in the cast, come on social justice warriors you must try harder. This the third part that Cumberbatch has stolen that should have gone to an Indian actor. He is a multiple offender and yet no one complains

Wait, third? There's this, there's Khan from Into Darkness (which, if you don't remember, there was a hell of a lot of backlash against for precisely the reason you think went uncared for), what's the other one? Don't tell me its yet another Khan!

 

[Albino Boo]

What, where are the cries of whitewashing? All the animals are Indian and yet there are no Indians in the cast, come on social justice warriors you must try harder. This the third part that Cumberbatch has stolen that should have gone to an Indian actor. He is a multiple offender and yet no one complains

Wait, third? There's this, there's Khan from Into Darkness (which, if you don't remember, there was a hell of a lot of backlash against for precisely the reason you think went uncared for), what's the other one? Don't tell me its yet another Khan!

Its a little known fact that all TV detectives are Indian apart from Colombo, he's from Sri Lanka.

 

[octafish]

All I took from this was Stringer Bell will be playing Shere Khan.

Where?s Mowgli at? Where?s the boy Shere? Where?s Mowgli, that?s all I wanna know? Where the fuck is Mowgli, huh, Shere, Shere? LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT ME! WHERE THE FUCK IS MOWGLI? HUH? WHERE?S MOWGLI AT? WHERE THE FUCK IS MOWGLI? WHERE?S MOWGLI SHERE? SHERE? WHERE THE FUCK IS MOWGLI? HUH? SHERE??

 

[coheedswicked]

Why is it that movies seem to be coming out in pairs nowaday? Olympus Has Fallen/ White House Down, Hercules/(legend of?)Hercules and now Jungle Book/ Jungle Book: Origins.

I imagine that all the top studio execs are actually friends and they gather round in a cigar smoke filled room and place bets on which of them can make more money with the exact same movie... or something like that