Disney is about to write Scarlett Johansson and Lupita Nyong’o into “The Jungle Book,” an individual familiar with the project told TheWrap.
Johansson, who plays Black Widow in Disney-Marvel’s superhero film series, would voice the character of Kaa, a python who hypnotizes and eats animals. Nyong’o would play Rakcha, the wolf who adopts Mowgli, the young protagonist who has yet to be cast.
Also read: Lupita Nyong’o Signs With CAA After Winning Oscar (Exclusive)
The film, a live-action hybrid version of the Rudyard Kipling book — which Disney first turned into a 1967 animated feature — was written by Justin Marks and will be directed by Jon Favreau.
Johansson is in the midst of a hot run, voicing the AI character Samantha in the Oscar-winning film “Her,” and then co-starring in the box office champion “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.” She is currently shooting “The Avengers” sequel.
Nyong’o recently won a Best Supporting Actress at the Oscars for her part in “12 Years a Slave,” which was her first major film role. She recently signed with CAA and on Wednesday was named People Magazine’s “Most Beautiful Person.”