Los Angeles: Actresses Lupita Nyong’o and Scarlett Johansson are in talks to join the cast of Disney’s new adaptation of “The Jungle Bookâ€.
Both the actresses are in negotiations to join Idris Elba in adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s classic, which will be directed by “Iron Man†director Jon Favreau, reports contactmusic.com.
Oscar-winning “12 Years A Slave†star Nyong’o is close to closing a deal to play Rakcha, a wolf mother who adopts the film’s protagonist, Mowgli.
Meanwhile, Johansson, who is pregnant with her first child with fiancé Romain Dauriac, is expected to give voiceover for Kaa, a python who eats her rival animals by hypnotising them.
Kaa is one of the film’s main villains along with Sher Khan, a man-eating tiger voiced by “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom†star Idris Elba.
“The Jungle Book†script comes from Justin Marks, whose previous credits include “Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Liâ€.