‘Jungle Book’ Casting Rumours: Lupita Nyong’o to Play Mother Wolf; Scarlett Johansson to Play a Man-Eating Python?

Who is excited to have Lupita Nyong'o play in a new movie after her Oscars win for "12 Years a Slave" or Scarlett Johansson right after her upcoming action-thriller movie "Lucy?"

It appears that after taking home the golden statue, the recently dubbed "Most Beautiful" woman of 2014 by People magazine Lupita Nyong'o has just been warming up as rumours start to come out that she is signing contract with producers of the upcoming Disney movie "Jungle Book."

Rumours have it that Nyong'o and Johansson are in the middle of negotiations to join the cast of the Jon Favreau-directed Disney movie.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Nyong'o is in final negotiations to play Rakcha, the mother wolf who adopts the protagonist Mowgli, which confirmed the rumours. Meanwhile, Johansson is still in the early stage of negotiating to voice the character of the villain Kaa, a man-eating python who eats her prey by hypnotizing them.

If everything gets settled, Nyong'o and Johansson will soon be joining British actor Idris Elba, who according to the report, has already been cast to voice the man-eating tiger villain Shere Khan.

In the meantime, as things are yet to be confirmed with The Jungle Book, Scarlett Johansson is said to be busy filming "Avengers: Age of Ultron" and will soon be appearing in the action movie "Lucy," which according to the movie's IMDb page is set to hit theatres on August 8 in the U.S.

According to Elle, The Jungle Book is rumoured to get the "live-action treatment," which appears to have been the trend with recent Disney movies, including "Malefecient" with star Angelina Jolie, and other Disney movies yet to be confirmed for casting and production like "The Little Mermaid" and "Beauty and the Beast."

Though Sofia Coppola has been announced to direct the The Little Mermaid, the cast is reportedly still undecided. However, it has been rumoured that Emma Watson may play the role of "Ariel."

The Jungle Book's screenplay is written by Justin Marks and will be produced by Jon Favreau and Brigham Taylor. The Disney movie is reportedly set to hit theatres on October 9, 2015. However, as to who might be playing Mowgli, the main protagonist of Disney's "Jungle Book," is still unanounced.