Tim Burton Set To Direct… A Dumbo Movie?

If there’s one thing the Walt Disney Company can never be accused of, it’s failure to evolve. The animation giant is currently pushing ahead on creating live-action adaptations of some of their classic films. Cinderella is coming out this weekend, The Jungle Book is currently in post-production, and Beauty and the Beast featuring Harry Potter alum Emma Watson in the role of Belle is being actively developed.

Now, it seems Disney is eyeing an A-list director to take the helm of a live-action adaptation of Dumbo.

First things first: Who do they have in mind?

Tim Burton! Disney is apparently teaming up with Burton to create a film about the flying elephant with the jumbo-sized ears. The news of this endeavor comes directly from Walt Disney Pictures production president Sean Bailey.

What’s the movie going to be like?

According to Bailey, the movie is going to mix real actors with CGI effects, though he wouldn’t reveal any other plot details except that the film would take place in a “big world”, suggesting that the story would be expanded upon for its big-screen adaptation.

What kind of history does Tim Burton have with Disney?

Quite a notable one, actually. Burton got his start working with Disney and the two parties most recently collaborated on Frankenweenie and Alice in Wonderland. What’s more notable than the choosing of Burton to helm Dumbo is the elite list of filmmakers that Disney has chosen to create these live-action films.

Who did Disney pick to direct the other movies?

Kenneth Branagh is behind Cinderella, Bill Condon is at the helm of Beauty and the Beast, and Jon Favreau is set to give us his take on The Jungle Book. Without a doubt, this is a powerhouse of pairings between fairy tales and filmmakers.

Is there any more information available about Dumbo?

Not particularly. While the prospect of Tim Burton delivering his vision of Dumbo is enticing, there’s no telling when the movie will actually happen.

Burton is currently working with 20th Century Fox on Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children and there’s more talk than usual regarding the long-rumored Beetlejuice 2 sequel, given that multiple parties from the original have expressed an interest in making it.

Should Burton choose to make Beetlejuice 2 in 2017, there’s a chance that Dumbo may not materialize until 2018. There are currently no production or release dates available for the project.

[h/t: cinemablend.com]