A live-action version of Pinocchio has been in development at Warner Bros for a while now but plans are currently being hatched for this to be yet another predictable directorial job for Tim Burton. Word is that Burton wants Robert Downey Jr to take the role of Geppetto, the creator and father figure to the wooden puppet.

This is not to be confused with the 3D CG animated version of PINOCCHIO which is being produced by Guillermo Del Toro or the prequel being developed by Shawn Levy. This version is written by Bryan Fuller (DEAD LIKE ME, PUSHING DAISIES) who has a very Burton-esque style anyway but perhaps less dark and more whimsical. This take on the Pinocchio tale sees Geppetto going on a quest to reunite with his missing puppet son.

Of course neither Burton nor Downey Jr have signed on a dotted line as of yet, so this is all conjecture at this point. Personally I think this is probably the most promising sounding puppet related project in development. I just hope that in summer 2014 we don’t get three similar wooden puppet projects all vying for our attention…

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