Almost two years ago, it was reported that Tom Hanks was being eyed to play Geppetto in Disney’s live-action remake of the animated classic, “Pinocchio.” And now, it appears he’s still being eyed to play the role. Doesn’t sound like exciting news, does it? Well, you’d be wrong.
According to Deadline, Hanks is still being eyed to play Geppetto in the upcoming remake of “Pinocchio,” but it’s a very different job than what he was approached about in 2018. You see, back when Hanks seemed locked up to play the part back then, the film was directed by Paul King and seemed like a slam dunk after the filmmaker’s experience on “Paddington.” But then King left the project and it appeared that everything fell apart.
Now, two years later, filmmaker Robert Zemeckis is aboard to direct the feature and surprise, surprise, Disney still wants Hanks in that crucial role of the woodcarver that builds a puppet that dreams of being a real boy. However, with Zemeckis aboard, the potential of Hanks joining the cast seems like a stronger possibility, as the two men have teamed up a number of times in the past on really successful projects.
“Forrest Gump” and “Cast Away” are two of the most pivotal roles in the career of Hanks and both were directed by Zemeckis. Add to that the experience of having a major role in the animated film, “The Polar Express,” and you have a proven history of Hanks and the director working together incredibly well. And the report claims that Hanks is really into the script that is developed for the latest iteration of “Pinocchio,” making the latest collaboration seem like an even more natural fit than when King was attached.
READ MORE: Disney Eyes Robert Zemeckis To Direct Their ‘Pinocchio’ Adaptation
Of course, there’s the Guillermo del Toro of it all to contend with. Disney’s live-action “Pinocchio” has some steep competition with Netflix’s version of the story that already is in production with del Toro directing. The major difference, however, is the fact that del Toro’s version is stop-motion animation. That being said, we’ve seen the “twin films” phenomenon play out before and it normally doesn’t work well for both parties. So, it’ll be interesting to see what happens with these projects.
It’s unclear when “Pinocchio” might actually go before cameras, as the pandemic has thrown everything in the film industry into chaos. Also, Hanks is still trying to wrap up work on his Elvis Presley biopic that he’s starring in. But if Zemeckis can land Hanks, that would make Disney’s remake a much more interesting project than it originally sounded like.
