Bill Murray has signed up to be the voice of Baloo the bear in Jon Favreau's new movie version of The Jungle Book.

Newcomer Neel Sethi is set to star as Mowgli, the little boy who meets the jungle creatures, in Disney's new live action reboot, which will use CGI to bring the animals to life.

Bill, 63, will voice bear Baloo who takes Mowgli under his wing, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

He joins a stellar voice cast that includes Christopher Walken as the voice of King Louie, ruler of the apes and monkeys, and Breaking Bad actor Giancarlo Esposito, who will voice Akela, the head of a pack of wolves.

Sir Ben Kingsley is already on board as the black panther Bagheera, Idris Elba as the villainous tiger Shere Khan, Lupita Nyong'o as the mother wolf Raksha, and Scarlett Johansson as the python Kaa.

Disney's Jungle Book is being directed by Jon Favreau and is due to be released in 3D on October 16, 2015.

Meanwhile, another version of the Rudyard Kipling tale which is completely live action is in the works at Warner Bros and is being directed by Planet Of The Apes star Andy Serkis.

Andy is yet to sign up his cast for what will now be known as Jungle Book: Origins, but he is due to begin shooting next year for an October 21, 2016 release date.