EXCLUSIVE: Yet another live-action version of a tried-and-true Disney fairy tale is wending its way to the big screen. Peter Hedges is penning a feature loosely based on the original Pinocchio story about a marionette carved from wood who dreams of becoming a real boy. Pinocchio gets his wish but is prone to stretching the truth, and each time he does, his nose grows longer.
The story is really about the relationship between a father and son, the ramifications of lying and creating stories and living in a fantasy world. Pinocchio came from the mind of author Carlo Collodi, who wrote the 1883 novel The Adventures Of Pinocchio.
This is not the only Pinocchio-inspired film in Hollywood. Guillermo del Toro also has a darker version of that story in development at his company. The Book Of Life producer is planning to co-direct that version from a script he co-wrote with Matthew Robbins. It would be a stop-motion animated 3D film. Foreign financiers are said to be circling that one.
Disney has been combing through its coffers of late, looking for live-action versions of popular fairy tales and has several on the horizon, including The Jungle Book, being directed by Iron Man and Iron Man 2 helmer Jon Favreau; Beauty And The Beast, which will star Emma Watson, Luke Evans and Josh Gad; and Dumbo, to be directed by Tim Burton; and Mulan. There has also been buzz about a live-action Winnie the Pooh-inspired tale in development. What a smart business plan by the powers that be at the studio led by Alan Horn.
Disney brought the animated version of the original Pinocchio story to the screen in 1940, and it has been remade several times both in toon and live-action versions, once with Mickey Rooney (1957). The story has come to life on the small and big screens in the U.S. and in overseas productions, the most memorable in recent years being Roberto Benigni’s Pinocchio. Another loosely based version starred Verne Troyer as a killer puppet in a 1996 horror pic from Trimark called Pinocchio’s Revenge.
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Hedges is repped by CAA and attorneys Marc Glick at Glick & Weintraub and Stephen Breimer at Bloom, Hergott.
I think it will be amazing! It will speak to million of us and I’m not talking just children either! You’ve done amazing with others so can’t wait to see the toys that will come out of that movie! Kids will be wanting puppets for Christmas , Birthday Party decor, It will encourage you to be whatever you desire in your heart, teacher, scientist , astronaut , dancer, singer, my granddaughter only 5 years old wants to take care of animals so no strings attached will will! :)
Well then it’s time for an animated version of: Disney’s The Kid
Hey, Disney! I got a fantastic idea! How about a live-action version of 101 DALMATIANS?
Oh, waiddaminute…
It can be call Obamio: “If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor. If you like your health plan, you can keep your health plan.”
I can’t take it anymore! They are not even hiding the fact they are just in the game for the money. Disney has completely lost any creative edge they may have once had. I can appreciate the need to make movies that make money, but at least other studios may need recycle but there are also some presence of originality with smaller pictures.
If they don’t do it someone else will.