Colin Farrell is in talks to star in Tim Burton’s live-action adaptation of Dumbo for Disney.
Farrell would play the father of the children who fall in love with the lovable elephant. Eva Green and Danny DeVito are also in negotiations to star in the film.
Burton is directing from Ehren Kruger’s script. Justin Springer, who worked on Tron: Legacy, is producing with Kruger.
The original story followed an ostracized baby circus elephant, who, with the help of a mouse, works to achieve his full potential. Burton’s movie will included both live-action and animated elements.
The studio’s emphasis on live-action reboots follows the success of Maleficent, Cinderella, The Jungle Book, and most recently, Beauty and the Beast, starring Emma Watson and Dan Stevens. Disney has remakes of The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, Mulan, and many more animated classics in the works as well.
Farrell toplined Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and appears in Sofia Coppola’s The Beguiled remake opening this summer. Farrell will also co-star with Denzel Washington in Dan Gilroy’s Inner City. Variety reported exclusively this week that Farrell will play Oliver North in an untitled limited series for Amazon. He is repped by CAA and LBI Entertainment.
The news was first reported by Deadline Hollywood.
