14 DAY TRIAL // Disney is really sparing no efforts in making live-action feature films based on famous cartoons their most successful endeavor ever. After “Snow White,” “Maleficent,” “Cinderella” and with “Beauty and the Beast” in the upcoming release schedule, Disney has now picked “Dumbo” for a live-action adaptation.
Surprisingly, Tim Burton will be directing it, which probably means that longtime collaborator Johnny Depp will be cast in a role. The photo attached to this post is tumblr’s hilarious response to the news that Burton will helm it, assuming he’s bound to cast Depp as Dumbo and make him the saddest, most depressed elephant ever.
All jokes aside, though Burton is known for his eerie and dark (but also humorous) style of filmmaking, he also directed the most recent “Big Eyes,” which is anything but dark. So maybe Dumbo’s story is in good hands.
THR reports that the film will combine live action and CGI, and will be based on a script by Ehren Kruger, who also handled the script for the entire “Transformers” franchise, such as those films were.
Kruger is producing with Justin Springer, whose previous credits include “TRON: Legacy” and “Oblivion,” the trade publication says. No release date has been announced yet, but Burton is now working on “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children” and will do “Beetlejuice 2” after that.
In other words, don’t hold your breath just yet.