Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling may join 'A Wrinkle in Time'

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 8 (UPI) -- Reese Witherspoon and Mindy Kaling may join the cast of A Wrinkle in Time.

News outlets reported that the 40-year-old actress and 37-year-old Mindy Project star are in talks for Disney's adaptation of the Madeleine L'Engle novel.

Witherspoon and Kaling would play Mrs. Whatsit and Mrs. Who, respectively -- supernatural beings who help protagonist Meg Murry on her quest to find her missing father. Oprah Winfrey is attached to portray the characters' companion, Mrs. Which.

Disney previously adapted A Wrinkle in Time as a 2003 television movie starring Katie Stuart as Meg. Selma director Ava Duvernay will direct the new film, with production slated to begin in November.

A Wrinkle in Time was published in 1963 and won the Newberry Medal the same year. The book inspired four sequels, A Wind in the Door, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Many Waters and An Acceptable Time, which were released between 1973 and 1989.

Witherspoon last appeared in the movie Hot Pursuit and will star in an HBO series adaptation of the Liane Moriarty novel Big Little Lies. Kaling plays Mindy Lahiri on The Mindy Project, which was renewed for a fifth season in May.