Former Batman Michael Keaton has lived long enough to see himself become multiple villains. After starring in this summer’s Spider-Man: Homecoming as the Vulture, he’s now in talks for another coveted baddie in Tim Burton’s live-action Dumbo remake.
Disney’s live-action Dumbo remake has been officially upgraded from another basic Tim Burton project that elicits little more than a shrug to a full-out curiosity worthy of an eyebrow raise. Between the casting of Eva Green and Danny DeVito, and the almost-casting of Will Smith, and now the potential casting of Colin Farrell, maybe there’s more to this movie than flying elephants — like, is Dumbo sexy now or what?
That Dumbo movie still seems to be, for all intents and purposes, happening, and with Eva Green in talks to star the ball continues to roll. Now, it looks like Danny DeVito — yes, you read that right — might also be heading to the big top.
From 'Black Christmas' to 'Krampus,' unwrap 10 dark, not-so-jolly holiday films.... if you dare.
The current Broadway listings read like a video store restock list: Aladdin, The Color Purple, Finding Neverland, Holiday Inn, Kinky Boots, The Lion King, Matilda, School of Rock, and more. Movies are big business on Broadway, and there are more adaptations coming all the time; upcoming movie-based shows include A Bronx Tale, Amelie, Anastasia, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. That last one is technically based on the book by Roald Dahl, which has already been adapted twice for film; once by Mel Stuart and once by Tim Burton. This, as it turns out, is not the only Burton movie that could soon be playing on the Great White Way.
Ender’s Game sputtered out and he didn’t land the role of Marvel’s new Spider-Man, so Asa Butterfield’s latest stab at franchise immortality will come in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. Based on a best-selling novel by Ransom Riggs, the premise is sort of a Tim Burton spin on X-Men, with a house of strange and quirkily gifted children who live apart from society that doesn’t understand their abilities. And, yes, if this movie is a hit, Riggs has already written two Miss Peregrine sequels, Hollow City and Library of Souls. In other words, there’s nothing peculiar about Hollywood’s interest in this material.
Tim Burton’s already made his comic-book movie; 1989’s Batman, which practically invented modern superhero cinema. And his next movie, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, is inspired by a novel by Ransom Riggs. But damn if the first trailer doesn’t make it look like Burton’s spin on the X-Men; where he takes the idea of this secret society of outsiders and makes them all vaguely creepy and Victorian and stuff.
With their new Cinderella just days away, Disney is continuing its streak of turning its animated classics into live-action features with the news, via the Wall Street Journal, that Dumbo is ready to make the transition from animated elephant to ... well, still-animated elephant surrounded by live-action actors. If that idea doesn’t get your ears flapping, maybe this will: the Journal says Tim Burton will be the man who’ll direct the new Dumbo.
In 1984, a young Disney animator named Tim Burton directed his live-action debut, the short film ‘Frankenweenie.’ Disney planned for the short to run before a theatrical re-release of ‘Pinocchio,’ but once they screened the completed project, they fired Burton on the spot.
Burton, of course, went on to a somewhat legendary career as a filmmaker and in 2010 made Disney over $1 billion on ‘Alice in Wonderland.’ And now, in 2012, Disney is finally OK with the idea of a little boy who brings his dead dog back to life.
Sign up to have exclusive Kiss All Access contests, events, coupons, presales, and much more delivered to you for FREE.