Scarlett to play kidnap girl Natascha

Scarlett Johansson is being lined up to play kidnap girl Natascha Kampusch in a Hollywood movie of her harrowing eight-year imprisonment in a concrete dungeon.

The Austrian victim is believed to be at the centre of a bidding war between Hollywood studios who are keen to acquire the sensational story rights for a ￡50 million film.

The 18-year-old's nightmare ordeal made headlines around the world, and according to her agent, Dietmar Ecker, 30 'internationally-known' film companies have made offers for her story.

Having already received ￡800,000 for an exclusive TV interview, a ￡1 million deal for film rights will ensure Natascha is financially secure for life.

Scarlett, 21, is rumoured to be film executives first choice to play Natascha as they are both strawberry blondes with piercing blue eyes. Although, the film is only at the ideas stage there is already a buzz around Hollywood that the traumatic tale could be an Oscar winner.

A film insider told the Daily Express: "This has been huge across the world. What happened to this girl is unbelievable and would make the most amazing movie plot. It's one of those real life stories you can only dream about."

The ordeal which shares similarities with Oscar winning film Silence Of The Lambs, came to the media's attention last month when Natascha managed to escape from captor Wolfgang Priklopil after eight-years held in isolation in a cellar and was reunited with her parents.

The 44-year-old abducted the now teenager on her way to school in Vienna in 1998. He later committed suicide by throwing himself in front of a train after she escaped. Natascha later attended his funeral and is believed to have developed an understanding with her kidnapper.