Anyone hoping for a sequel to 2019's Dumbo may be disappointed as recent comments from the film's director suggest it is likely not on the cards.
The latest Dumbo is a reimagining of the 1941 animated classic, but it did receive mixed reviews from fans and critics when it released in cinemas, with a 45 percent Rotten Tomatoes score.
Veteran filmmaker Tim Burton directed the film, with it looking set to be Burton's final film with Disney.
The filmmaker has a long history with the entertainment giant, starting his career as an animator before going to Warner Bros. to work on Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure in the 1980s.
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He returned to Disney to work on films such as Alice in Wonderland, Frankenweenie, and most recently, the Dumbo reboot.
Speaking at a press conference at the Lumière Festival in Lyon after receiving the Prix Lumière award, Burton admitted working on Dumbo made him realise that Disney had gotten too big for him.
He said: "My history is that I started out there.
"I was hired and fired like several times throughout my career there. The thing about Dumbo, is that’s why I think my days with Disney are done, I realised that I was Dumbo, that I was working in this horrible big circus and I needed to escape.
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"That movie is quite autobiographical at a certain level."
As Disney owns the rights to Dumbo, it doesn't necessarily mean that we won't see a sequel to 2019 film now that Burton looks to have ruled himself out being involved again.
If they wanted to, Disney could hire a new director for the sequel, but how different it could be with a new person on board remains to be seen.
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Despite Burton seemingly parting ways with Disney, the filmmaker has not lost his appetite, and said the award ceremony he attended has re-energised his connection with cinema.
He continued: "I don’t really watch my movies. It was strange seeing the clips. I got quite emotional. It feels like each film you do is part of your life and is very deep and meaningful so it’s like watching your life flashing before your eyes – that’s why I likened it to a funeral in a way, in a beautiful way, it captures moments of your life."
In the conference, Burton was even asked about the political landscape in the UK - his adopted home.
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He was asked if the recent turmoil could prompt an idea for a film, to which he replied: "It might inspire me to leave," Burton joked.
"Obviously, it’s crazy. You keep thinking you’ve seen it all, right, and it just keeps getting more surreal and more surreal. "
Topics: Disney, Film and TV
Callum Jones