Disney in talks with ‘Paddington’ director to helm live-action ‘Pinocchio’

Image: AFP/Chris J. Ratcliffe

Disney is reportedly in talks with British director Paul King to helm the studio’s live-action version of “Pinocchio”, according to Variety. Disney hopes to start filming the movie this fall.

Since Sam Mendes dropped out in November, Disney has been looking for a director to helm the live-action remake of its second animated classic, “Pinocchio”. The studio is reportedly in talks with Paul King, who previously directed the “Paddington” movie and its sequel.

The firm has been trying to get this latest version of Italian author Carlo Collodi’s 1881 tale off the ground for several years. The studio now hopes to speed up production, aiming to start filming this fall with a script by Jack Thorne (“Wonder”).

Paul King was recently approached by Warner Bros. to direct an origins story about Willy Wonka, the famous chocolate-maker from Roald Dahl’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”. If successful, the film could become the starting point for a new franchise.

The story of Pinocchio — the wooden puppet who is brought to life and whose nose grows with each lie he tells — has been brought to the small and big screens several times, including Disney’s 1940 animation and a 2002 movie by Italian director Roberto Benigni. Warner Bros. has also been trying to bring Carlo Collodi’s 19th-century tale to the big screen for several years. The project has previously been linked to Ben Stiller and Paul Thomas Anderson as directors, with Robert Downey Jr. as Gepetto. The latest reports name Ron Howard as director of the film.

“Pinocchio” is getting the same treatment as “Beauty and the Beast”, “Alice in Wonderland”, “Cinderella” and “The Jungle Book” as Disney turns more of its animated classics into live-action movies. In coming years, the studio will be adding to the list with “Dumbo” directed by Tim Burton, “The Lion King” by Jon Favreau, “Mulan” and “The Sword in the Stone”. JB

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