Disney is starting to move fast on its live-action The Jungle Book and is in talks with Idris Elba to essay the role of Shere Khan.

Idris Elba is in final negotiations to play Shere Khan in the live-action The Jungle Book, which is being worked on now at Disney. Idris Elba, fits the bill to the “T” as he has the voice to fit the part and as for the body, well, we have doubts if they are going to dress him up as a tiger.

Now, most likely Idris Elba will get the Benedict Cumberbatch, Smaug in The Hobbit films, treatment and drop on all four with a mocap suit on.

Idris Elba recently received excellent reviews for his portrayal of Nelson Mandela in Justin Chadwick‘s Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom. Idris also has a crime thriller titled No Good Deed and a thriller The Gunman due in 2104.

Disney is also said to be looking for a mixed-race actor to play Mowgli, the boy raised by wolves in the jungles of central India. The studio will focus on the Rudyard Kipling‘s version of Mowgli’s Brothers.

Disney is gathering a team of all-stars for their The Jungle Book, moving as fast as possible to beat Warner Bros., who are also working on their take to finish their deadline.

Disney‘s own 1967 animated musical, featuring the voice of George Sanders as Shere Khan, is the most famous on-screen incarnation of The Jungle Book.

Jon Favreau, who directed Elf and Iron Man, will direct The Jungle Book and among the people involved in the project are Rob Legato (Titanic, Avatar, Hugo) who would be handling the special effects department, production designer Alex McDowell (Man Of Steel) and many other concept artists that have worked in the past on movies like Star Wars, Alice In Wonderland, The Chronicles Of Narnia or the upcoming Maleficent.

Disney is pulling all the stops for The Jungle Book, that is slated for an October 09, 2015 release in the US.