‘Dumbo’s Colin Farrell doesn’t want to play Batman (exclusive)
Tim Burton’s Dumbo is in cinemas tomorrow, and it operates as a Batman reunion of sorts.
Dumbo brings the director of 1989’s Batman, and 1992’s Batman Returns, back together with Bruce Wayne (Michael Keaton) and Oswald Cobblepot (Danny DeVito) who play V.A. Vandemere and Max Medici respectively, in Disney’s new live-action remake of the much-loved cartoon.
Read more: Why ‘Dumbo’ is the ultimate Tim Burton film
Colin Farrell is a new addition to Burton’s acting troupe, was he a Batman fan when he was growing up?
“I loved the two of them [Batman and Batman Returns] back in the day, I even remember drawing the Bat symbol on a pair of jeans I had, I was 8 or 9 or 10 at the time.”
Farrell’s been linked to the titular Batman role by fans, but don’t expect the actor to pop up in the black rubber suit any time soon.
“Oh god no. Leave that alone. Christian Bale did an extraordinary job. There’s so many stories out there, I’ll just see what comes my way and that certainly hasn’t.”
The Killing Of A Sacred Deer actor is known for taking on dark roles, will the infinitely lighter Dumbo be a turning point for his career?
Read more: How Tim Burton brought a CGI ‘Dumbo’ to life
“If I was offered this 10 years ago I would have done it. This was thoroughly a no-brainer. When I heard three words ‘Tim. Burton. Dumbo.’ I thought ‘Oh god, what a tasty experience that would be.’
And I could only imagine how beautifully he’d bring this circus world to life, being a fan of all his films, and seeing how indelibly he creates these worlds, whether it’s Edward Scissorhands, or Big Fish, which has an aesthetic that’s akin to this.
“There’s no major shift in direction or anything, it’s more fluid than that for me. But I’m delighted to be a part of something that’s oriented towards families. When we did the LA premiere there were kids everywhere, and it was just so joyful. It was a joyful thing to be a part of.”
Dumbo is in UK cinemas tomorrow.
