The animal rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is demanding a happier ending for the lovable big-eared circus elephant Dumbo.
Director Tim Burton will be handling Disney's live-action adaptation scripted by Ehren Kruger, and he has received a message from PETA's Senior Vice President Lisa Lange asking for a bit of a tweak in the storyline - but for the better, according to Ace Showbiz.
"We're hopeful that in your adaptation of Dumbo, the young elephant and his mother can have a truly happy ending by living out their lives at a sanctuary instead of continuing to be imprisoned and abused in the entertainment industry," said Lange.
She hopes that families of this generation who will watch the Dumbo movie and be happy for the elephant instead of pity him, since the original Dumbo movie which was released in October 23, 1941 was fraught with sadness and heartbreaking moments.
Ever since he was born, Dumbo was already an outcast. When the stork delivered him to his mother Mrs. Jumbo, he was mocked heavily because of his large ears and they cruelly nicknamed him "Dumbo."
He suffered from ridicule and mockery for most of his life, although he found comfort in his mother's unconditional love. Mrs. Jumbo was very protective of Dumbo, so she naturally lost her temper when a group of boys began bullying her son.
This behaviour is very unusual for Mrs. Jumbo so that circus operators thought she has lost her mind. They locked her up and separated her from her baby Dumbo.
Things are not looking so well for Dumbo until he meets the unlikeliest of friends - Timothy Q. Mouse. The little mouse sees Dumbo and pities him, and therefore made it his mission to be his mentor and take care of him.
It was Timothy who thought of using a "magical feather" in order to help Dumbo fly. Because of his ability to soar through the air, Dumbo gains significant confidence and he becomes a circus sensation.
However, during a performance of jumping from a high building, Dumbo loses his magical feather and he panics. Timothy then admits that it was never magical, but that Dumbo can still fly anyway. Dumbo braves his fears and does the act, much to the surprise of the audience and those who looked down on him.
In the end, Dumbo becomes a star. Timothy becomes his manager and the young elephant is reunited with his mother, and they are even given a private car on the circus train.
