Summary
The live-actionDumbomovie could have ended Tim Burton’s movie-making career. A reimagining of the original 1941 movie, which was itself based on Helen Aberson and Harold Pearl’s book, the 2019 remake featured a CGI-animated elephant in a live-action setting. It also included live-action characters, who were played by Colin Farrell, Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, and more renowned actors. Tim Burton served as the director. Thelive-actionDumboearned poor reviewsand proved to be a box office disappointment, earning just $353 million on a budget of $170 million.
After five years of inactivity in theaters, Burton returned from his reprieve to developBeetlejuice Beetlejuice, but Dumbo’s poor reception still weighs on him. In an interview withVariety, he explained that he nearly quit filmmaking because of the little elephant. He returned for the showWednesdayin 2022 and cites it as rejuvenating his love for making content, which is why he returned to movies in the aftermath. Check out his full quote below:
It felt like there was a change around the time of COVID where everything was just in flux. And so, rather than get caught up in that, I just worked on my own feelings and things. Then Wednesday came along. That reconnected me to making things. We went off to Romania and it felt like it was a creative health camp. It went so well… Honestly, after Dumbo, I really didn’t know. I thought that could have been it, really. I could have retired, or become… well, I wouldn’t have become an animator again, that’s over.(Laughs)
But [Beetlejuice Beetlejuice] did reenergize me. Oftentimes, when you get into Hollywood, you try to be responsible to what you’re doing with the budget and everything else but sometimes you might lose yourself a little bit. This reinforced the feeling for me that it’s important that I do what I want to do, because then everybody will benefit.
Why Was The Dumbo Movie So Devastating?
The Live-Action Dumbo Nearly Ended Tim Burton’s Career
Dumbostumbled in every avenue that it could. It earned a46% score on Rotten Tomatoes' Tomatometerand a 48% from audiences. That fell far short of the original, which earned a 90% Tomatometer score and a 70% among regular viewers. The disastrous response meant that word-of-mouth encouragement never came, prompting viewers to skip Disney’s remake. The reviewers typically cited a bland story, poor animation, and a refusal to remain faithful to the original work.
Disney’s Upcoming Movie Releases - From 2025 To 2029
Between Pixar, the MCU, Star Wars, 20th Century Studios, and the famed animated studio, Disney has several exciting releases slated up to 2029.
Unfortunately,the movie also stumbled at the box officewhen compared toDisney’s other live-action remakes. It fell far short ofThe Lion King’s $1.67 million total and landed in the lower half of the gross takes. OnlyAlice Through the Looking Glass,Cruella,Christopher Robin, and the pandemic releaseMulancame close to matching its low total, which is an especially disappointing result for one of Disney’s oldest franchises. Check out the chart below, which showcases the budgets and box office totals for Disney’s reimagined movies:
$250 million
$1.67 billion
Beauty and the Beast(2017)
$160 million
$1.3 billion
$183 million
$1.05 billion
$175 million
$967 million
$240 million
$570 million
$186 million
$492 million
$170 million
$353 million
$300 million
$100 million
$234 million
$70 million
$198 million
$200 million
After such a resounding failure, Burton stepped away from movies and turned to TV development. His previous movie,Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children(2016), had a mixed reception, and his other live-action adaptation,Alice Through the Looking Glass(2016), earned even less thanDumbo, with its $300 million take. In his unexpected slump, it is only natural to consider stepping away from movies.Wednesdayhelped him find his lost spark, and it is why Burton elected to remain in the industry even despite his immense displeasure.
Dumbo
Cast
Dumbo, directed by Tim Burton, is a live-action adaptation of Disney’s classic 1941 animated film. The story centers on a young elephant with oversized ears that enable him to fly, captivating audiences and saving a struggling circus. Starring Colin Farrell, Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, and Eva Green, the film delves into themes of family and personal growth while showcasing Burton’s signature visual style.
