Jon Favreau to Direct Disney's Live-Action 'Jungle Book'

The director of the first two 'Iron Man' movies says his experience on the superhero films could help him bring Mowgli back to the big screen.

A new live-action adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's classic tale "The Jungle Book" is close to get a director. Deadline learns that Jon Favreau, who directed the first two "Iron Man" films, is in talks to helm the project for Disney.

"I can't say that much, but there is an interesting take that could be very cool, and the hope is to relaunch a family brand with certain mythic elements," Favreau says. "It is my first real family film since 'Elf', and there are action elements and visual effects that I feel like my experience on the 'Iron Man' films are going to be useful."

Disney first turned "The Jungle Book" into an animated film in 1967 and then adapted it into a live-action movie in 1994. The story set in India centers on Mowgli who is raised by wolves and makes friends with bear Baloo and panther Bagheera.

The latest take on the classic tale will be scripted by Justin Marks, whose credits include "Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li". It is the latest Disney animation film that is turned into a live-action, joining "Alice in Wonderland" and the upcoming "Maleficent" which is based on the evil sorceress from Sleeping Beauty.