Back in November of 2011, the trades reported that Tom Hanks (Toy Story, Road to Perdition) was in talks to play Geppetto in a live-action take on Disney's Pinocchio. That was back when Paddington director Paul King was attached to helm the project, but it looks like Hanks' interest has been renewed now that Robert Zemeckis (Back to the Future) is behind the camera.
According to Deadline, the mega-popular actor is in early negotiations for the role of Geppetto having reached out to Zemeckis personally in the hopes of re-teaming with his Forest Gump and Castaway director on the film.
Zemeckis is also writing the script, while Andrew Miano and Chris Weitz are producing through their Depth of Field company.
Pinocchio tells the story of a wooden puppet who is brought to life by a fairy. Guided by his conscience (Jiminy Cricket), he sets out to prove himself worthy of becoming a real boy. If Hanks does board the project, he'll play the old wood carver who creates Pinocchio and becomes his father figure.
Guillermo del Toro (The Shape of Water, Hellboy) is currently working on a separate version of the classic tale for Netflix, but his take will be a stop-motion animated musical.
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Mark Cassidy is a writer, photographer, amateur filmmaker, and Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic from Dublin, Ireland.