UPDATE: Tom Hanks is reportedly still in negotiations to play Geppetto in Disney’s Pinocchio remake.
Instead of Paul King, the Pinocchio remake will now reportedly be directed by Robert Zemeckis, who directed Hanks in Forrest Gump, Cast Away and The Polar Express. Deadline reported on Wednesday that Hanks has read a script by Zemeckis and Chris Weitz, and Hanks contacted Zemeckis directly to tell him he wants to play Geppetto.
Deadline says that negotiations are still very early and nothing is official yet.
The original story from November 2018 is below.
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ORIGINAL STORY: Tom Hanks is in early discussions to play Geppetto in Disney’s upcoming live-action adaptation of Pinocchio, according to Variety.
Director of Paddington, Paul King, will be directing the film, while Andrew Miano and Chris Weitz are on as producers. King, Weitz, and Simon Farnaby all wrote the current draft of the screenplay.
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Pinocchio joins the other recent animated Disney films who had received live-action remakes and saw huge numbers at the box office, including Beauty and the Beast which made $1.2 billion in 2017 and The Jungle Book which was at $966.5 million worldwide in 2016.
Disney is already planning on releasing three live-action adaptations in 2019, with Dumbo on March 29, Aladdin on May 24, and The Lion King on July 19.
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While we wait for more details to emerge about the remake of the classic Pinocchio, check out every Disney live-action remake that is already planned, including Mulan, The Litte Mermaid, and Lilo and Stitch.
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Jessie Wade is a news writer at IGN and hearts Tom Hanks. Follow her on Twitter @jessieannwade.
Source: IGN.com Tom Hanks to Reportedly Reteam with Forrest Gump Director for Pinocchio Remake