Warner Bros To Reopen 'The Jungle Book' With 'Potter' Scribe Steve Kloves
Steve Kloves has been approached to write and direct a new live action take on Rudyard Kipling's timeless property.
Not simply content with successfully adapting literature's 'Greatest Detective' to the screen in two very successful 'Sherlock Holmes' movies, it seems that Warner Bros. are once again scouring their libraries and bookshelves for the next classic tale to reinvent for the big screen. And it seems that they have found it in Rudyard Kipling's famous work.
Variety broke the story yesterday, stating that 'Harry Potter' screenwriter Steve Kloves has been approached to write and direct a new live action take on Kipling's property. First published in magazines as an anthology of short stories in 1894, 'The Jungle Book', though entirely fictional, was based upon Kipling's own experiences living in India. Even though the book contains several other tales, the most famous of course is that of the adventures of Mowgli, a boy raised by wolves in the jungle and the many other animal friends he meets along the way. The most famous version of course is still the animated Disney classic from 1967 featuring one of the most memorable songs from the Disney back catalog. The story was later adapted in 1994 as a live action, action/adventure movie directed by Stephen Sommers and starred Jason Scott Lee as Mowgli, Cary Elwes, Sam Neill, John Cleese and Cersei Lannister herself Lena Headey. No word yet on what other, if any, stories that this new version will incorporate but I think it's safe to assume that we'll be seeing young Mowgli and friends discussing the bare necessities of life once again. Maybe not singing but, you know, one can hope... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcglnY_xGfc Kloves is best known for writing seven out of the eight 'Harry Potter' movies as well as the wonderful 'Wonder Boys', and has recently tackled writing the script for the long gestating live action 'Akira' remake and this summer's 'The Amazing Spider-Man'. He famously wrote and directed 'The Fabulous Baker Boys' in 1989 and last directed 'Flesh and Bone' way back in 1993.