It's been a long time since we last heard about the Pinocchio movie being developed over at Warner Bros. Back in September of 2010 we learned that Pushing Daisies writer Bryan Fuller had been hired to write the script for a live-action version of the famous tale and Dan Jinks, inspired by Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, signed on as a producer. From the outside perspective it would seem that the movie has spent the last 15 months in development hell, but now it seems that it has two very big names interested

THR has learned that Tim Burton is now keen on directing the Pinocchio movie and wants, of all people, Robert Downey Jr. to star as Geppetto. As of now, neither one is officially attached to the project in any capacity, but Burton has been in talks with Warners. The key question is when Burton might start working on it. The filmmaker's name has also been mentioned in connection with Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, and should he choose to do that movie next WB will move on without him (as the project is currently a priority for the studio). While Downey Jr. is interested, both in the film and working with Burton, the problem may be scheduling, as the actor has a full plate at the moment. Both players involved have connections with Warner Bros., as Burton is making his next film, Dark Shadows, for them and RDJ's Sherlock Holmes franchise is housed there.

I said this when the project was first put into development, but the last time we got a major live-action Pinocchio movie it was the one by Roberto Benigni and that was an unmitigated disaster. Hopefully this version won't share the same fate.