Another ‘Jungle Book’ Live-Action Movie In the Works as Disney Hires Writer

Justin Marks ("20,000 Leagues Under the Sea") will adapt Rudyard Kipling's classic

Get ready for competing "Jungle Book" movies — Disney has hired Justin Marks to write a live-action adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's classic set of India-based fables, an individual familiar with the project has told TheWrap.

Kipling's "Jungle Book" stories, first published in 1894, are in the public domain, so Disney will be competing with a Warner Bros. project being written by frequent "Harry Potter" scribe Steve Kloves.

One of the main characters in the "Jungle Book" is Mowgli, a young boy raised by wolves whose friends include a bear and a panther.

Disney is currently seeking a director for the project, which is still in its nascent stages and without producers. Disney's 1967 animated film was the last to be produced by Walt Disney, who died during its production.

Disney has been adapting many of its animated classics as live-action features, including "Alice in Wonderland" and the upcoming movies "Maleficent" and "Cinderella."

Marks previously worked on an early draft of Disney's "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" reboot. He's repped by CAA and Madhouse Entertainment.

The Hollywood Reporter broke the news.

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