While the star of the next live-action Disney film will be a flying elephant, a new image shows off some of the movie's human characters as well. A brand new image of Dumbo has been released which shows the baby elephant and his mother, while Danny DeVito, who plays the ringmaster of the circus looks on. In the background, we also see Colin Farrell, who plays Dumbo's caretaker, as well as the actors playing his children who befriend the tiny elephant with the big ears. Check it out.
Danny DeVito, whose character is named Max Medici in Dumbo, is pointing back at the elephants in the image shared by Fandango, while everybody else is looking on. Who knows what he's saying. He probably remarking about the fact that the baby elephant has an absolutely massive pair of ears, which will aid him in being able to fly before it's all said and done.
Of course, before Dumbo's ears become a major benefit, they make the little guy something of a joke in the circus, at least in the original animated film. While the new movie is based on that film, and trailers have shown us a few scenes that clearly come from that plot, it's also clear that the new movie will include a lot of brand new material as well.
The original story of Disney's Dumbo follows the mute elephant as he's turned into a clown after being rejected by the other elephants and his mother ends up getting locked up after going after some circus patrons who are abusing Dumbo. Then Dumbo gets drunk and finds himself up a tree, you know, like you do, where it's discovered he's capable of flight.
In the animated film, no people actually learn of Dumbo's abilities until the very end of the movie. However, based on the trailers, it seems that Dumbo will become a star much earlier in the new live-action remake. It's at that point that Michael Keaton's V. A. Vandevere will enter the picture as a man who sees Dumbo as a feature that can be used for financial gain. He convinces Danny DeVito's Medici of the possibilities. Collin Farrell's Holt Farrier, however, will have the elephant's best interests at heart, and will work to keep Dumbo from being exploited.
Almost all of the human characters are new to the live-action story. While there is a human Ringmaster who makes an appearance, he's never given a name and he plays no important role in the plot. Other human characters, like the clowns that work with Dumbo, make only brief appearances and are frequently shown in silhouette which separates them that much more from the proper story.
With humans taking so much more prominent roles, it will be interesting to see how much of the new Dumbo actually follows Dumbo. We'll find out when the new Tim Burton film arrives in 2019.
