Live-action ‘Dumbo’ movie in the works
Give Disney enough time, and they’ll remake every last one of their animated classics as a live-action movie. The latest to go into development? “Dumbo.”
The movie will be a change of page for its writer, Ehren Kruger, who is best known for his work on the Transformers movies. Kruger also is producing, along with Justin Springer, whose credits include “Tron: Legacy.”
In some ways, Dumbo is the perfect movie for our times: It’s the story of a baby elephant who is bullied because he’s different.
The live-action version will include a human story that parallels Dumbo’s journey. It’s easy to imagine a story in which the mouse that convinces Dumbo he can fly in the animated tale is replaced by a child who shares Dumbo’s struggles.
Disney has been aggressively mining its vault of animated classics for live-action remakes and retellings. Due next: a live-action Cinderella opening March 13. Also in the pipeline: The Jungle Book (directed by Iron Man’s Jon Favreau) and a Beauty and the Beast riff titled “The Beast” (directed by Bill Condon, of “Twilight” fame). There’s no casting news yet on either of those projects.
