ICYMI: Dumbo is flying back into theaters on March 29. Unlike the original film, the new version won’t feature talking animals. But before you start singing “You Oughta Be Ashamed,” you should know there’s a commendable reason behind the decision.
In a recent interview with Huffington Post, writer-producer Ehren Kruger addressed the controversial issue. Although fans fell in love with the original film’s animated cast, the showrunner revealed that his sole purpose was to bring a human perspective to the classic story.
“Early on, I made the decision in the spirit of realism and because Dumbo never talks in the animated [version], Jumbo has a line or two, and they’re really the core of our story,” he said.
The showrunner went on to warn fans about characters that didn’t make the cut, adding, “We were going to not have this be a talking animal picture. That meant pulling back on a few characters from the animated film.”
