Tom Hanks Might Be Playing Geppetto in Disney’s Live-Action Remake of Pinocchio
When you find a good thing, never let it go. At least, that seems to be Disney‘s strategy as of late with all of their live-action remakes. And Tom Hanks may be starring in the next one. In addition to The Lion King, Aladdin and Mulan — to name just a few — Disney will also be rebooting the classic story of Pinocchio.
There are little details available about the upcoming live-action remake but Hanks, a Disney alum who played the lead in Toy Story (and will do so once again with the upcoming fourth one), is rumored to be handling the part of Geppetto, per Variety. If that pans out, Hanks will be working on three films about children’s characters at the same time. In addition to Toy Story and, potentially Pinocchio, Hanks is playing Mr. Rogers in an untitled movie about the kids’ hero.
As for Disney, the company’s next year is even busier. Not only does 2019 bring the much-anticipated live-action remake of The Lion King, it also promises to release a live-action remake of Dumbo directed by Tim Burton and the live-action remake of Aladdin, starring Will Smith as the Genie and Naomi Scott as Princess Jasmine, Mena Massoud as Aladdin, and Marwan Kenzari as Jafar.
Plus, Disney has plans to release a live-action Aladdin spinoff all about the Genie and the long-delayed Mulan due to the production’s extensive search for its star, Liu Yifei. That’s just scratching the surface: Disney is also plotting live-action remakes of — take a deep breath — The Little Mermaid, Lady and the Tramp starring Justin Theroux and possibly Tessa Thompson, James and the Giant Peach potentially with Sam Mendes, Cruella rumored to be played by Emma Stone, Peter Pan, a Tinkerbell spinoff with lead Reese Witherspoon, Snow White, a Snow White spinoff about her sister Rose Red, Lilo & Stitch, and Sword in the Stone, as Variety notes.
With Hanks onboard, the Pinocchio live-action remake could draw just as many big names as The Lion King, which stars Beyoncé, Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Billy Eichner, John Oliver, Keegan-Michael Key, and James Earl Jones and features modern takes on the music from Elton John and Beyoncé. Imagine, for example, Lady Gaga taking on “When You Wish Upon a Star?” Start wishing.
