Dumbo (2019)

A young elephant, whose oversized ears enable him to fly, helps save a struggling circus, but when the circus plans a new venture, Dumbo and his friends discover dark secrets beneath its shiny veneer.

Director:

Tim Burton

Writers:

Ehren Kruger (screenplay by), Helen Aberson (novel)

Stars:

Colin Farrell, Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito

7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Colin Farrell	...	Holt Farrier
Michael Keaton	...	V. A. Vandevere
Danny DeVito	...	Max Medici
Eva Green	...	Colette Marchant
Alan Arkin	...	J. Griffin Remington
Nico Parker	...	Milly Farrier
Finley Hobbins	...	Joe Farrier
Roshan Seth	...	Pramesh Singh
Lars Eidinger	...	Hans Brugelbecker
Deobia Oparei	...	Rongo (as DeObia Oparei)
Joseph Gatt	...	Neils Skellig
Miguel Muñoz Segura	...	Ivan the Wonderful (as Miguel Muñoz)
Zenaida Alcalde	...	Catherine the Greater (as Zenaida Alcalde Alcalde)
Douglas Reith	...	Sotheby
Phil Zimmerman	...	Rufus Sorghum

Storyline

Holt was once a circus star, but he went off to war and when he returned it had terribly altered him. Circus owner Max Medici (Danny DeVito) hires him to take care of Dumbo, a newborn elephant whose oversized ears make him the laughing stock of the struggling circus troupe. But when Holt's children discover that Dumbo can fly, silver-tongued entrepreneur V.A. Vandevere (Michael Keaton), and aerial artist Colette Marchant (Eva Green) swoop in to make the little elephant a star.

---

Plot Keywords:

elephant | dumbo character | remake | live action remake | animal character name as title | 

---

Taglines:

In 2019, a beloved tale will take you to new heights.

---

Genres:

Adventure | Family | Fantasy

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for peril/action, some thematic elements, and brief mild language

Details

Official Sites:

Official Site

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

29 March 2019 (USA)

Also Known As:

Dumbo

Filming Locations:

Cardington, Bedfordshire, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$170,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$45,990,748, 31 March 2019

Gross USA:

$114,766,307

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$352,996,262

Company Credits

Production Co:

Walt Disney Pictures, Tim Burton Productions, Infinite Detective

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Atmos DTS (DTS: X) Auro 11.1

Color:

Color (ACES)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Though obviously this is a reimagining of original animated feature Dumbo (1941), this also has a new plot that is very similar to Free Willy (1993). Both revolve around a financially struggling attraction with a particular animal as the main event. They both also have a tycoon pulling the strings on the animals, try to cause them harm, and feature a rescue mission to set them free.

---

Goofs

When Dumbo escapes from the circus with Milly's help, he flies over the Brooklyn Bridge and in the background the Empire State and Chrysler Buildings are shown. The Empire State started construction in 1930 and the Chrysler Building started construction in 1928 yet the movie is set in 1919 and early 1920s.

---

Quotes

V. A. Vandevere: [from sneak peek] You've made me a child again.

---

Crazy Credits

The first half of the closing credits has the text (including the title) zooming sightly back from 3D to 2D.

---

Connections

Referenced in Good Morning Britain: Episode dated 22 March 2019 (2019)

---

Soundtracks

Bears Russian Circus March Snare Drum & Chord
Performed by The Great American Music Band
Courtesy of Capitol Records under license from Universal Music Enterprises

User Reviews

Visually great, but cold and dark emotionally (although Dumbo himself is great).

The elephant is really cute and there are some scenes which are quite emotional, but after the initial flight, there's little amazement or awe to see. Visually it looks very good but overall, I found it a cold and dark experience, especially when it shifted from the family run circus to the corporation style theme park with its art deco design and stereotypical villains. There isn't much fun or joy to be had in this story of abandonment and change, and the acting isn't particularly great either.