Tom Hanks in talks for ‘Geppetto’ role in Disney’s live-action ‘Pinocchio’

Tom Hanks is reported to be in early talks to play the fatherly figure Geppetto in Disney’s live-action adaptation of its classic animated tale “Pinocchio”. The casting would push forward yet another live-action reboot of a Disney classic.

Paddington’s Paul King will be directing the new live-action, while Andrew Miano and Chris Weitz are going to produce it. As being reported King, Weitz, and Simon Farnaby have written the most recent draft.

The original animated movie tells the tale about a living puppet who, with the help of a cricket as his conscience, must prove himself worthy to become a real boy. Geppetto is the puppeteer who created Pinocchio and eventually becomes the fatherly figure he always wanted.

Live-action films are the latest trending thing in Hollywood. And it seems like it is the studio’s feature film strategy has been working at the box office, as its live-action “Beauty and the Beast” made $1.2 billion worldwide in 2017 and “The Jungle Book” grossed $966.5 million worldwide in 2016.

Disney has planned on for releasing three live-action films in 2019: “Dumbo,” which is due in March; “Aladdin,” which opens in May; and “The Lion King,” which is slated for release in June.

Tom Hanks himself has a busy 2019 ahead. The Oscar winning star has the World War II pic “Greyhound” followed by his return to the “Toy Story” world, reprising the voice of Woody in the fourth installment lined up for release in 2019.

As being reported he is currently busy in the shooting of the untitled Mr. Rogers movie for TriStar, in which he plays the iconic TV personality.