Last month it was reported that Tom Hanks (Sully) and Will Smith (Suicide Squad) had entered talks with Disney about portraying the human leads in the studio’s live-action Dumbo remake from director Tim Burton.
Well, according to Star Magazine, Disney has failed to reach a deal with Smith, who has now dropped out of negotiations due to salary and scheduling issues. The original report had stressed that Smith’s commitments to Bad Boys for Life could cause issues, although the Joe Carnahan-directed buddy cop threequel has since been pushed back again to November 2018. Smith has also been lobbying for a reunion with Suicide Squad’s Margot Robbie and director David Ayer as part of the Harley Quinn-led spinoff Gotham City Sirens.
The live-action remake of the 1941 animated classic has been scripted by Ehren Kruger (Transformers: Age of Extinction), and Disney is reportedly pushing hard to lock in production schedule and release date.
Originally published February 14, 2017. Updated November 30, 2022.
