Disney’s live-action adaptations of their animated classics have been known to tout a pretty stellar cast. While Tim Burton‘s Dumbo has been in pre-production, there have been reports that the studio has been in talks with Will Smith, who would have had a starring role in the film. Yes, talks between the two have broken off, and as a result it puts the actor in the position to star in Bad Boys For Life. More on the story below.

Deadline confirmed the news. This is only a minor setback for Disney as they move aggressively toward a production start with a script by Ehren Kruger. The live-action film would be an adaptation of the 1941 animated musical about a baby circus elephant with large wings that gave him the ability to fly.

Smith did not fully commit to the film, and it is still unclear if Tom Hanks is in the running for the villain role. But as previously speculated, if Smith did not sign on to the film, it meant that he would most likely commit to Bad Boys For Life and Bad Boys 4. As for the reasons why Smith did not sign on, the report says salary issues and scheduling conflicts led up to the split.

Now it appears that Bad Boys For Life has a release date, while Bad Boys 4‘s release has yet to be announced.

It’s a bit surprising to see there is still a huge interest in Bad Boys, especially since it would have been 15 years since its release. Still, Bad Boys For Life has Joe Carnahan behind the film, so that is something to look forward to. We’ll keep you up to date on the progress of the film.

[Source: Deadline]