Benedict Cumberbatch is ‘really scary’ as Shere Khan in Jungle Book Origin: Andy Serkis

Hollywood actor Benedict Cumberbatch, best known for his title role in Sherlock, is really scary as the tiger Shere Khan in Jungle Book: Origins, says the upcoming film’s director Andy Serkis.

Besides directing the film, Serkis will also voice the character of bear Baloo in the adaptation of author Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book. “It’s amazing, Benedict’s phenomenal. He’s really scary. It’s a grounded, full-of-rage, brilliant performance. What’s brilliant about his performance is he’s not just a black-and-white villain,” Serkis told mirror.co.uk.

“Bizarrely, you actually feel his point of view. It’s quite a nuanced performance. You’ll see him in a new light. The ‘Sherlock’ fans will be surprised, definitely,” he added.

The Warner Bros project will follow Disney’s own live-action film The Jungle Book, which released in 2016 and featured voices of Idris Elba, Bill Murray, Lupita Nyong’o and Scarlett Johansson.

Besides Cumberbatch, other actors who have lent their voices for different roles in the film include Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Naomie Harris and Tom Hallender.

Jungle Book: Origins is slated for release in 2018.