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The Jungle Book

The Jungle Book

The legend comes to life.

2016106 minPGMidcredits score: 87th percentile of all films
Director
Jon Favreau
Starring
Neel Sethi, Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley, Idris Elba

After a threat from the tiger Shere Khan, Mowgli, a man-cub fostered by wolves, is forced to flee the jungle, and he embarks on a journey of self-discovery with the help of the panther, Bagheera, and the free-spirited bear, Baloo.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Jungle Book?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Jungle Book streaming on Disney+ and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Highlights

What stands out about The Jungle Book?

The Jungle Book earns 11 badges, led by Oscar Winner and Cultural touchstone.

Show 3 more
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is The Jungle Book worth watching?

The Jungle Book's Midcredits score is the 87th percentile of all films, from 794K ratings across 6 sources. 79% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

87th percentile

Better received than 87% of films

80th percentile among Animation87th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)81st
Approval (how many liked it)89th

71 /100

81st percentile of all films

72nd percentile among Animation80th percentile among 2010s

Critics 77 · Audience 70

Critics liked it more than audiences did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.4 — solid but not unanimous.

79% liked it

89th percentile of all films

85th percentile among Animation90th percentile among 2010s
79% rated it 7–1021% rated it 1–6

Critics 94% · Audience 86%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

1 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 33 wins / 55 noms overall

  • WonAcademy Awards· Best Achievement in Visual Effects
  • WonBAFTA Awards· Best Achievement in Special Visual Effects

99th percentile

793K ratings across platforms

97th percentile among Animation99th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 31% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$175M
Opening weekend$103M
Domestic gross$364M
Worldwide gross$968M

Returned 5.5× its budget — 98th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film is a visually stunning CGI spectacle with realistic animal characters, but its emotional depth and narrative freshness are less consistently praised.

Fans praised

  • groundbreaking CGI that makes animals and jungle feel completely real
  • Idris Elba's menacing, formidable Shere Khan
  • Baloo's warmth and chemistry with Mowgli

Detractors panned

  • soulless, emotionless presentation despite technical polish
  • Mowgli's wooden acting and limited emotional range
  • forced, poorly sung musical numbers that clash with tone

What stands out

Effects and spectacleDivisive90

state-of-the-art CGI, photorealistic animals and environments

CinematographyDivisive85

lush, breathtaking jungle vistas and striking compositions

AtmosphereDivisive80

immersive jungle world with a darker, more dangerous tone

ActingDivisive72

strong voice cast (Elba, Murray, Kingsley) but child lead Sethi is divisive

CharactersDivisive60

Baloo and Bagheera well-developed; Mowgli and villains lack depth

Sound and musicDivisive60

John Debney's score praised; song renditions widely criticized

Plot and storyDivisive55

simple, familiar story with some new twists but weak pacing in sections

Emotional impactDivisive45

fails to consistently connect due to shallow character work

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 3 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 8 points apart
  • Critics vs users 8 points apart
  • US vs non-US 3 points apart

Watch experience

What is The Jungle Book like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Fun ride: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want a fun ride.

It has a few laughs and leaves you feeling good. Skip it when you want something with weight.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Very little.

What it feels like

Fun ride.

The answer rests on this: Moods
ThrillingJoyfulWarm
Heaviest: middle
Warm humor
Register
Adventurous · 11% of filmsWarm
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film presents its story earnestly, blending adventure and warmth, with stunning visuals that heighten the fantastical setting but never undercut the emotional stakes.
The rideThe mood mixes exhilarating adventure with warm, funny bonding, with the most tense stretch in the middle when Mowgli faces Shere Khan and loses Akela.
StructureThe film follows a conventional beginning, middle, and end, with Mowgli's departure, journey, and confrontation with Shere Khan.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Feeling good.

The answer rests on this: Feel-goodHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves the viewer with a warm sense of belonging and optimism, as Mowgli finds his home and family.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterTyrant
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% (this title) · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Tyrant: A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).

21% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeMowgli, a boy raised by wolves, must flee the tyrannical tiger Shere Khan, embarking on a journey of self-discovery with animal guides.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bondsIdentity · 14% of filmsSurvival
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores where Mowgli truly belongs—between his wolf family and his human nature—while also pitting that bond against the threat of Shere Khan.
StanceThe film celebrates found family and belonging, showing Mowgli integrating his human skills to protect his jungle community.

The world

19th centuryWildernessStylized realism
Orchestral modernJazzPopForeground music · hybrid · John Debney
Settingthe jungles of Seoni, Madhya Pradesh, India in the 1890s
MusicIncludes classic songs from the 1967 film such as 'The Bare Necessities' and 'I Wan'na Be Like You'.

Content guide

Is The Jungle Book okay for kids?

PG

The Jungle Book is rated PG: “Rated PG for some sequences of scary action and peril” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (47/100), sexual content at minimal (9/100), language at minimal (3/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (4/100) and frightening material at intense (61/100). Overall it is heavier than 74% of PG-rated films.

Ratings in 30 other countries
  • UKPG
  • CanadaPG
  • AustraliaPG
  • Germany6
  • FranceTP
  • Ireland12
  • New ZealandPG
  • JapanG
  • South Korea12
  • Brazil10
  • Belgium12
  • CzechiaU
  • Denmark7
  • FinlandK-12
  • GreeceΚ
  • Hungary12
  • IndiaUA
  • ItalyT
  • LU12
  • Netherlands12
  • Norway9
  • Poland12
  • PortugalM/6
  • RO12
  • Russia12+
  • SpainAi
  • Sweden11
  • Switzerland8
  • Taiwan6+
  • THท ทั่วไป
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 27% of all filmsHeavier than 74% of PG-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
heavy for a PG-rated film
heavier than 76%
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
light for a PG-rated film
heavier than 13%
Profanity
None / Minimal
light for a PG-rated film
heavier than 4%
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
light for a PG-rated film
heavier than 6%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
heavy for a PG-rated film
heavier than 90%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is frightening material.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Jungle Book have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Jungle Book?

Cast

5 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Neel Sethi
as Mowgli
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Bill Murray
as Baloo
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Ben Kingsley
as Bagheera
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Idris Elba
as Shere Khan
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Scarlett Johansson
as Kaa
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Christopher Walken
as King Louie
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Lupita Nyong'o
as Raksha
newcomer then · star now
Giancarlo Esposito
as Akela
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Garry Shandling
as Ikki
Emjay Anthony
as Young Wolf

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Jungle Book?

Movies like The Jungle Book include The Jungle Book (1994), Tarzan (1999) and The Jungle Book (1967). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films written by Rudyard Kipling, and most are films set in the jungle.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

11 of these 12 share its subject: family bonds. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Jungle Book?

578 other films share the rarest tag below, up against: animal. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.