Tim Burton’s Live-action ‘Dumbo’ filming, set for 2019 with Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Colin Farrell and Eva Green
Disney has tapped into amazing success with their live-action remakes of their popular animated movies and the upcoming remake of Dumbo looks to continue to trend with director Tim Burton helming the project.
At the D23 Expo in Anaheim, California, Disney unveiled the full details of production, showing a short clip of footage from the set, mostly of the circus, central the elephant’s tale.
Burton is seen in the video greeting the fans from inside Casey Jr., the train from the original movie, now in Disney’s theme parks. Then concept art was unveiled as well as the announcement/confirmation of the all-star cast: Eva Green (Dark Shadows, Casino Royale, Mrs. Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children) is playing a French trapeze artist named Colette who is employed by the movie’s villain named Vandermere.
The studio is looking for a very big name to play the role of the film’s antagonist, Tom Hanks was once rumored, but Michael Keaton will be reuniting with Burton (remember Batman, Batman Returns) and Danny DeVito (Batman Returns) is playing a circus owner who gets bought out by Vandermere.
Colin Farrell became the frontrunner to play a widowed father of two kids from Kentucky who befriend the titular elephant and now has been confirmed (note big names like Will Smith and Chris Pine were pitched the project).
Burton kicked off the live-action reboot success in 2010’s Alice in Wonderland and will be working with writer Ehren Kruger (the Transformers sequels), and producer Justin Springer (TRON: Legacy) to “add a unique family story that parallels Dumbo’s journey” and pad out the 1941 film’s hour-long runtime with new material that “deepens the circus aspect of the story.”
The project is expected to use a mixture of CG and live-action elements to capture a new take on the story, and considering Burton’s involvement, fans can expect a visually dynamic work.
Roshan Seth, DeObia Oparei, Sharon Rooney, Douglas Reith, and Katterli Frauenfelder also star.
Dumbo is set for theaters March 29, 2019.
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