Disney’s live-action remakes are set to continue to rule the box office for a long time to come as, after next week’s The Lion King, there are many more on the way. Including, according to our sources, Hercules, Hunchback of Notre Dame and Pocahontas. Here’s a slightly left-field project though that We Got This Covered has also heard Disney is developing: a reboot of James and the Giant Peach.
The studio first adapted Roald Dahl’s classic children’s book in 1996, in a moderately-successful movie directed by The Nightmare Before Christmas’ Henry Selick and produced by Tim Burton. Burton’s attachment to the original could be telling, as the filmmaker has so far helmed both the Alice in Wonderland and Dumbo remakes for the studio. However, we don’t have any specific details about cast or crew at this time as the project is still only in the early, early stages of development.
Though we’ve been told that this will be a live-action remake, we know from The Lion King that that definition can be stretched somewhat. Again, it’s too soon to say for sure given how early on it is in the production process, but presumably, the James and the Giant Peach remake will head down the route of CGI animation instead.
In any case, the project seems to be a completely different iteration from the one that was in the works back in 2016. At the time, Sam Mendes was said to be in early negotiations to direct, based on a script by Nick Hornby. It seemed that Disney had hopes to quickly follow up Steven Spielberg’s The BFG with another Roald Dahl movie, but it appeared to have fallen through. Until now that is, as we’re hearing the idea is gaining traction once more.
Tell us, though, would you be interested in a James and the Giant Peach remake? As always, sound off down below with your thoughts.