UPDATE: Guillermo del Toro has denied his involvement in the project though after speaking with our source once more, we stand by this story. Given that a deal isn’t officially in place just yet and he’s simply on a wishlist, it was expected that the director would deny it, as is often the case when reports about actors/filmmakers being attached to projects leak out ahead of an official announcement.
ORIGINAL STORY: Disney’s live-action remakes might be generally considered to be creative cul-de-sacs but they sure have attracted some talented directors so far. Tim Burton’s helmed a couple, Guy Ritchie just did Aladdin and Jon Favreau’s worked on both The Jungle Book and The Lion King. It seems the studio is keen to keep up the high-caliber of crew for their upcoming projects, too, according to what we’re hearing.
Earlier today, we reported that Disney is developing a live-action remake of Atlantis: The Lost Empire, based on the 2001 animated film of the same name. Spider-Man star Tom Holland is being eyed to play protagonist Milo Thatch and what’s more, our source also informs us that the Mouse House has Guillermo del Toro in mind to direct the movie.
Of course, del Toro fans will know that just because the director’s name is attached to something, it doesn’t mean he’s necessarily going to end up making it. After all, he’s notorious for having a long list of unmade pics and aborted projects behind him (see: Hellboy 3 and Justice League Dark) So, all we’re saying here is that Disney would like the Oscar-winning filmmaker to helm their remake, but it remains to be seen whether he’d actually be interested in taking on the job.
You can see why Disney might think the auteur would be a smart choice to helm the new Atlantis, though, as there’s a strong theme of myth and folklore running through all his films and del Toro has proven adept at action/adventure fare in some of his more commercial movies like Pacific Rim. Plus, he’d no doubt sprinkle some of his monster magic over the story and maybe invent some cool new creatures to inhabit the underwater world of Atlantis: The Lost Empire, too.