Disney’s upcoming live-action retelling of Dumbo has officially added Z Nation actor Joseph Gatt to its cast. Directed by Tim Burton, the latest live-action remake of a classic property from the House of Mouse is shaping up to be a somewhat original production. Per the official Dumbo synopsis, the new movie will center around a story in which former circus star Holt Farrier (Colin Farrell) is enlisted to care for the titular elephant.

Featuring an enviable cast - including supporting turns from the likes of Michael Keaton (Spider-Man: Homecoming), Danny DeVito (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia), Eva Green (Penny Dreadful), and Farrell (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them) - Dumbo has more than enough star power standing behind it to become a success. The film is still based on the classic animated 1941 film of the same name, with a script written by Ehren Kruger (Transformers 3 & 4). Kruger will also co-produce the movie alongside Derek Frey (Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children) and Justin Springer (TRON: Legacy).

According to Deadline, Gatt has signed on to play a character named Skellig, who follows and helps Holt after he returns from the war in Burton’s movie. DeVito is playing circus owner Max Medici, the kindly man who recruits Holt to care for Dumbo, while Keaton and Green are playing a scheming rival circus owner and trapeze artist who plan to use Dumbo (and his overly-large ears) as a means of generating a nice profit for themselves.

By all accounts, Gatt has proven himself to be an invaluable character actor on the Syfy original series Z Nation, in addition to bit roles in such big budget blockbusters as Star Trek Into Darkness and Thor. Like the recently-cast DeObia Oparei of Game of Thrones fame, Gatt should help to fill out Burton’s latest rogues gallery of original characters in Dumbo proper.

Only time will tell whether or not Burton’s Dumbo will prove to be a mainstream success, but with any luck it will serve to be just as a much of a crowdpleaser as the like-minded live-action The Jungle Book and Beauty and the Beast. And with Guy Ritchie’s Aladdin also on the way, Burton will have a lot to live up to when his new movie finally makes its way to theaters come March 2019.

Source: Deadline

  • Dumbo Release Date: 2019-03-29