Jon Favreau in talks to direct `The Jungle Book` adaptation

Los Angeles: Mowgli and his friends are headed for a big screen adventure with Disney negotiating a deal with director Jon Favreau to adapt Rudyard Kipling`s India-set story.

First published in 1894, `The Jungle Book` is in the public domain and was adapted by Justin Marks for Disney, though producers have not yet been assigned.

The studio will be competing with a rival project that frequent `Harry Potter` scribe Steve Kloves is writing for Warner Bros.

`The Jungle Book` features Mowgli, a young boy raised by wolves whose friends include a bear and a panther in the jungles of India.

An animated version of the book was Walt Disney`s last project. He died during the production of the movie.