Tim Burton to direct live-action Dumbo

Disney look set to continue harvesting their own back catalogue with a live-action version of the animated classic Dumbo heading to the big screen.

In a case of going from Big Eyes to Big Ears, Tim Burton is being lined up to direct, having already scored a massive success for the studio with his quirky take on Alice in Wonderland. The news follows hot on the heels of the earlier casting news over the last few weeks for Beauty and the Beast, which will see Emma Watson, Dan Stevens and Luke Evans in the main roles.

The Wall Street Journal says that Disney bosses are said to be happy with the script by Ehren Kruger, the writer behind the last three Transformers films.

The original followed the adventures of a baby circus elephant, mocked for its over-sized ears, who finds acceptance by fully embracing what makes him different.

Burton recently made the well-received Big Eyes which earned its star, Amy Adams, an Oscar-nomination.