Ashleigh Hill-Buxton
Robert Downey Jr as Geppetto in a live-action “Pinocchio” movie? Hmm, yeah… Okay, so long as Downey’s prepared to toss the hair dye bottle, grow some snowy stubble and stop that insane gym workout for a while. Couldn’t be any worse than Martin Landau working with wood, no!?
The unbrushed Tim Burton wants to direct Bryan Fuller’s script, which is set up at Warner, and has his eyes set on the “Iron Man” star for the ‘lead’ role of Geppetto. (If only he were still eight, Rick Schroeder would make an awesome Pinocchio!)
THR says, “Neither Burton nor Downey has a deal with Warners, but sources say Burton is keen to direct the film and has begun talks with the studio, so it’s just a question of whether Pinocchio will be his next movie.”
The trade adds that “Downey has expressed serious interest in the project (and in working with Burton), but his busy schedule must still be worked out. Warner Bros. is hoping that Burton and Downey commit soon so the project can be fast-tracked.”
(Oh, “fast-tracked” at Disney means : Six months of story boarding, presentations and set design, followed by a meeting with a studio accountant who decides it’s going to be much more feasible for the WB to just make another “Cats & Dogs” movie – – in 3D, of course than to worry about finding the trillion dollars Burton requires to make an animatronic whale).
I’m betting the studio’s first question is, “Why isn’t Johnny Depp Geppetto!?” And fair question, doesn’t Tim Burton come complete with a side serve of Depp every time? Did that “Pirates” sequel really arrive home without any treasure!? Wow, looking at the numbers, guess so…
