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]