Tim Burton, for once appears to be looking elsewhere for a lead in his next project (although I’m sure Johnny Depp could be squeezed in somewhere) . Burton is courting Robert Downey Jr. for the role of carpentry puppet maker Gepetto in his PINOCCHIO project being developed at Warner Bros.
Disney’s beloved animated classic has become ingrained in popular culture over the years as well as being adapted countless times in movies and television. Spielberg’s futuristic epic A.I. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE borrowed heavily from Carlo Collodi’s (actually dark) tale of a wooden boy who is magically brought to life.
A script by PUSHING DAISIES Bryan Fuller has Burton itching to tackle this project in the near future, although no deals have yet been agreed. Burton previously directed another Disney animated classic, ALICE IN WONDERLAND in live-action form, which was based on Lewis Carroll’s classic children’s tale. A huge commercial hit but severely savaged by critics.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
