Who knew we needed a big-budget reboot of Doctor Dolittle? Universal, that’s who. The studio has reportedly picked up the rights for a new Dolittle film, Deadline reports, starring franchise-eater Robert Downey Jr.. To refresh, the film is based on the 1920 children’s-book series about a doctor who can speak to animals. The first film adaptation was made in 1967, starring Rex Harrison as the titular M.D. The series then got a comedic makeover in 1998 when Eddie Murphy became the star of a remake (and subsequent sequel in 2001).
Now, as is the 2017 way, Dolittle is due (little) for another kid-friendly reboot in just under a couple decades. Stephen Gaghan, director of famed family fare like Gold and Syriana, is set to write and direct.
Universal won the rights for the film after interest from numerous studios, including Twentieth Century Fox (which made the original Rex Harrison film) and Sony, per Deadline. Production on the film is set to begin next year, after Downey Jr. wraps two installments of Avengers: Infinity War. The budget could reportedly climb as high as $160 million.
The Dolittle reboot is just one of many family-friendly takes getting tossed into Hollywood’s great big revamp machine. Disney is currently knee-deep in a number of live-action remakes of its classic animated library, reworking beloved films like Mulan and Beauty and the Beast. The latter broke a number of records at the box office in its opening weekend, proving that the right kind of nostalgia can always translate to blockbuster gold.
Dolittle may also be Universal’s chance to build a brand-new live-action franchise for audiences of all ages. Disney has most of the princesses and superheroes, but Universal is fresh off the success of films like The Secret Life of Pets and the unstoppable Despicable Me and Minions franchise. The studio is also building its shared monster universe, in addition to a rebooted Jurassic Park franchise. Dolittle is a PG-friendly way to continue the critter takeover. Robert Downey Jr., already a box-office juggernaut thanks to the dominant Iron Man and Avengers films—in addition to his successful Sherlock Holmes movies—is well suited to kick off a dormant franchise . . . no matter how much of a head-scratcher this particular project may appear to the rest of us.
