Director Robert Zemeckis is in early talks with Disney to direct a live-action adaptation of Pinocchio, according to Variety.
What’s Happening:
- Andrew Miano and Chris Weitz will produce through their company Depth of Field with Weitz penning the script. Originally, Paul King (Director of Paddington) was slated to direct but had to leave the project at the beginning of the year. Also no longer involved with the film, producer David Heyman, allowing Miano and Weitz to come on the project.
- No deal has been officially made yet, but reports say that Zemeckis has been watching the project since earlier this year. He is currently working on an adaptation of The Witches for Warner Bros. Starring Anne Hathaway and allegedly didn’t want to commit to any other projects until that one was nearing completion.
- It’s reported that Zemeckis will look to ramp up the casting process for Pinocchio with the character of Gepetto his top priority, looking towards Tom Hanks, who inevitably passed on the role. Zemeckis and Hanks had worked together previously on the fan-favorite The Polar Express.
- The original animated film is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful films of all time, with AFI awarding it the #2 greatest animated feature of all time in 2008, second only to Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. It tells the story of a man in his workshop who wishes upon a star that brings about a living puppet who, with the help of a cricket as his conscience, must prove himself worthy to become a real boy.
- Disney continues to create live-action versions of their animated films, and with the success of both 2019 features, Aladdin and The Lion King, both of which crossing the billion dollar mark, there doesn’t appear to be an and in sight.
- Zemeckis, known for directing earlier classics like Back To The Future, and Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Has steered toward more dramatic films like Flight and Welcome to Marwen in later year, but with his upcoming The Witches and reportedly now a live-action Pinocchio, he seems to be coming back around to the family film genre.