Tom Hanks in Talks to Play Geppetto in Disney's Live Action Adaptation of 'Pinocchio'

According to a new report from Variety, two-time Academy Award winner Tom Hanks is currently in the early stage of negotiations to play the classic character of Geppetto in Disney‘s upcoming live action adaptation of Pinocchio.

Robert Zemeckis — who has been tied to the project since 2018 — will be directing the film, which will bring together the duo for the fourth time, following 1994’s Forrest Gump, 2000’s Cast Away, and 2004’s The Polar Express. Andrew Miano and Chris Weitz will be producing under their company Depth of Field, while the script will be penned by both Zemeckis and Weitz. The new Pinocchio project is the latest in a long line of live action adaptations from Disney based on their previous animated classics, including Cinderella, Aladdin, The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, and the upcoming Mulan.

Disney’s Pinocchio was first released in 1940, based on Carlo Collodi’s novel The Adventures of Pinocchio. It follows an old woodcarver named Geppetto, who creates a wooden puppet subsequently brought to life by a fairy. The fair tells the puppet that if he proves himself to be “brave, truthful, and unselfish,” he’ll turn into a real boy.

There’s currently no official release date for Disney’s upcoming live action adaptation for Pinocchio, so fans of Hanks should stay tuned for more updates to come.

Elsewhere in entertainment, Lionsgate has confirmed that John Wick 5 is in development.