Disney has no problem taking advantage of public domain works, and not just once or twice. The company often turns to its precious vault for inspiration, a tactic that has led to live-action versions of 101 Dalmations and Alice in Wonderland, as well as the forthcoming Cinderella remake and Sleeping Beauty reimagining . As if those weren’t enough, word is that another animated feature will receive the live-action treatment.
According to THR, Disney is in the process of developing a new film based on Rudyard Kipling’s 1894 fable collection The Jungle Book. Justin Marks will adapt the book, which follows the adventures of the orphan boy Mowgli and his animal friends. This marks the second Disney project for Marks, who previously worked on a first draft of their troubled David Fincher-directed 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea reboot.
The Jungle Book is familiar territory for Disney, who first visited the book in 1967 to produce their much-loved animated film, and again in 1994 for a minor hit starring Cary Elwes, Lena Headey, and Jason Scott Lee. The entertainment giant’s return to the 119-year-old text comes a little over a year after Warner Bros. announced their own adaptation written by Harry Potter scribe Steve Kloves.
The Jungle Book currently has no producer or a director, but we’ll provide updates as they come.
Are you surprised that Disney is making another Jungle Book movie?