AceShowbiz -

Disney's "The Jungle Book" keeps adding new cast members. The latest actors joining the live-action adaptation of Mowgli tale to be directed by Jon Favreau are Christopher Walken and Giancarlo Esposito.

71-year-old Walken who was recently cast as Captain Hook in NBC's "Peter Pan Live" is tapped to voice the ape leader King Louie. Meanwhile, Emmy nominee Esposito will voice Akela, the alpha of the wolf pack that adopts Mowgli.

The film is written by Justin Marks ("Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li"). Newcomer Neel Sethi plays Mowgli, and Scarlett Johansson is in talks to voice the villainous python, Kaa. Lupita Nyong'o is expected to voice Mowgli's mother wolf Rakcha. Idris Elba will voice the man-eating tiger, Shere Khan.

The Mouse House plans to release the movie on October 9, 2015 in the U.S. They put the project on a fast track to keep up with rival project developed by Warner Bros. Andy Serkis sits behind the lens for WB's "The Jungle Book (2016)", but no cast has been announced.