Of course there’s the chance that Anderson would also direct the adaptation of the 1883 Carlo Collodi children’s classic “The Adventures of Pinocchio,” about a wooden puppet who wants to be a real boy, assuming that Warner Bros. deems his script commercial enough. The studio released –and supported at a financial loss–Anderson’s “Inherent Vice,” which did not score at the box office ($8.6 million worldwide). So he owes them one. Anderson usually directs his scripts but demands considerable latitude.
The best-known version of the story is Disney’s 1940 animated feature, arguably one of the least successful of the studio’s many fairy tale hits. A score of live action versions of once-animated fairy tales are in the works.
Read: ‘Pinocchio’ Joins Roster of Live Action Fairy Tale Remakes
In Disney’s push to own the fairy tale universe–as studio label Marvel does its comic book heroes– it’s developing its own live-action version of “Pinocchio.” The relationship between lonely good-hearted wood carver Geppetto and his mendacious creation is at the center of the story which is being updated by Peter Hedges (“Pieces of April”).
Michael Mitnick wrote a recent draft for Downey, who wants to star as Geppetto, and will produce the project with his wife Susan Downey and Dan Jinks.
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