In 1919, at the close of the First World War, former equestrian performer Holt Farrier, who has lost an arm in combat, returns to the Medici Brothers' Circus, a show struggling after the influenza pandemic. His new job is caring for the elephant Mrs. Jumbo and her calf, born with oversized ears that make him a target of public mockery. Holt and his children, Milly and Joe, work to protect the little elephant while the circus tries to reinvent itself with the help of an ambitious businessman.

How it was made

A live-action version of Disney's 1941 animated classic was announced in 2014, with Ehren Kruger as screenwriter and Derek Frey among the producers. Tim Burton was confirmed as director in March 2015. The script keeps the basic premise of the original but builds a different story, giving the human characters a larger role. The cast was assembled by March 2017 and included Colin Farrell, Eva Green, Michael Keaton and Danny DeVito. Principal photography ran from July to November 2017 in England. With a budget of 170 million dollars, the film was positioned as the first of five live-action adaptations of Disney animated films released in 2019.

Reception and legacy

The film premiered in Los Angeles on March 11, 2019, and opened in US cinemas on March 29, in 2D, 3D and IMAX 3D. Critics were divided, praising the performances of DeVito and Keaton while faulting the script. It grossed around 353 million dollars worldwide, yet despite that figure it is generally regarded as a box-office disappointment. It holds a 46 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes. Its main historical significance lies in opening Disney's cycle of 2019 live-action adaptations, which included several further titles.