'Pinocchio' Movie News: Sam Mendes to Direct Disney's New Live-Action Film?
The live-action adaptation of Disney Films' "Pinocchio" could be helmed by "James Bond" filmmaker Sam Mendes.
Deadline reports that the Oscar-winning director is in early talks with the film studio to spearhead the filming of the live-action version of the classic fairy tale by Italian writer Carlo Collodi.
If Mendes will take the job, he will join other critically acclaimed filmmakers like Jon Favreau, who worked on both the live-action versions of "The Jungle Book" and "The Lion King," and Bill Condon, who recently helmed the box-office hit "Beauty and the Beast."
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Details about the upcoming film are still scarce, but previous reports claimed that the script will be written by "About a Boy" screenwriter Chris Weitz. His production company called Depth of Field will also produce the upcoming movie.
Based on the classic fairy tale, the story of "Pinocchio" centers on the life of the poor and lonely wood sculptor named Geppetto, who decided to make a wooden puppet one day and call him Pinocchio. The Blue Fairy sees Geppetto's sadness, which is why she opted to give the puppet a chance to be a real boy by proving that he can truthful, brave, and unselfish.
But Pinocchio becomes a naughty boy along the way, which is why the Blue Fairy punishes him by turning his nose longer every time he lies.
The animated version of the film was first released in 1940. It won the Best Original Score and Best Original Song for its main anthem "When You Wish Upon a Star."
Aside from Disney's plans to turn its classic animated movie into a live-action film, Guillermo del Toro and Ben Stiller are reportedly working on a separate adaptation of "Pinocchio" under Warner Bros. Pictures. The film will reportedly star "Iron Man" actor Robert Downey Jr.
More details about the upcoming "Pinocchio" movie are expected to be announced soon.
