Sensing that its new, more realistic take on The Jungle Book could still use a touch of escapist fantasy, Disney has solicited the services of Christopher Walken, in what will be his first portrayal of a recognizable member of the animal kingdom. Walken will play King Louie, the monkey ruler who doesn’t actually exist in Rudyard Kipling’s original stories, but was added to Disney’s 1967 animated version after concerns arose that it didn’t feature any characters who could appear in essays on racist portrayals in children’s cartoons. There he was voiced by singer Louis Prima primarily for the dance number, “I Wanna Be Like You.” Though, as the Jon Favreau-directed film isn’t expected to take a similar musical comedy approach, it’s likely Christopher Walken’s King Louie will just tell Mowgli of the difficulties of being an orangutan, in a monologue of unnervingly graphic detail.