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The last thing anyone that's a fan of Disney or Dumbo might be thinking about is Batman.Yet, it's difficult to ignore how the new live-action Dumbo movie (based on the 1941 animated film) was brought to life by the visionary director and the actors behind the live-action Batman movie from 1992, Batman Returns.
Dumbo, directed by visionary Tim Burton, was the director of the 1992 Batman sequel which featured not just Batman, but saw the Warner Brothers franchise also introducing characters like The Penguin, and Cat Woman onto the big screen for the first time; not to mention he was also the filmmaker behind the original 1989 Batman film which featured The Joker being played by the legendary Jack Nicholson.
The reason why Dumbo is a Batman Returns reunion, is thanks in part to director Tim Burton, but also his casting of actors Danny DeVito and Michael Keaton, who each played The Penguin and Batman/Bruce Wayne himself in Burton's 1992 Bat sequel.
What Disney movies are they going to remake in live action?
The Dumbo live-action movie, set to be released into theaters on 3/29/19 is just the first of several Disney live-action releases planned for this year, with a new Lion King coming to theaters latter this year featuring singer Beyonce, but also Aladdin, which will feature actor Will Smith in the role of Genie, which was made famous in the animated film by actor Robin Williams.
All of these live action Disney films have been in the works for several years, with several directors attached, as well as actors and actresses.
In particular, Dumbo has had a long history of being thrown into turnaround at the studio, as they've focuses much of their efforts on Star Wars in recent years. The film was originally announced way in 2014, with Tim Burton signing on board to make the movie in mid-2015. Yet, production did not begin until 2017. While many actors were offered roles in the live-action Dumbo such as Will Smith, Casey Affleck, and Chris Pine, Burton decided to re-team his Batman Returns friends for this outing. Danny DeVito plays Max Medici, the circus ringmaster who owns Dumbo and the circus, but is forced to sell it to V.A. Vandevere. Vandevere, played by Batman himself, Michael Keaton, is a evil and charismatic venture capitalist who seeks to capitalize on the flying, one-of-a-kind, little elephant under the big top.
Will Disney's 2019 live remakes fail?
The odds are in Disney's favor in 2019. With the live-action Dumbo, the live-action Lion King, and the live-action Aladdin all set for the big screen in 2019, and given their family friendly nature, and how they'll likely be rolled out during the key holiday seasons this year, they are almost guaranteed to be box office gold.
Revisit the Dumbo (2019) Trailer Now: