So far, most of the Disney classics up for live action re-imaginings have starred women (Alice in Wonderland, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty so far, with plenty more on the way). The Jungle Book was the only exception until Disney announced a live-action remake of Dumbo, its 1941 animated film about a young circus elephant with large ears. Ehren Kruger (Transformers francise) will write the script and will produce along with Justin Springer (Tron: Legacy, Oblivion).

At only 64 minutes, Dumbo is one of the shortest feature films Disney has made. At the time, Walt Disney Productions was far from the juggernaut it is today, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was less than five years old and World War II in Europe had contributed to Pinocchio and Fantasia poor box office performance. Production on Dumbo was further stalled when most of the animators went on strike. Dumbo was made short, simple, and cheap, but ended up becoming Disney’s second financial success after Snow White. The film was well received by audiences at the time and is still fondly remembered today.