Luke Evans joins Disney's live-action Pinocchio film

Screen and stage star Luke Evans has joined the upcoming film version of Disney's Pinocchio, it has been revealed.

Evans will accompany the previously announced Tom Hanks in the piece, according to Deadline, taking on the role of The Coachman in the upcoming big-budget musical event. Hanks will play Geppetto.

He is no stranger to live-action Disney films, having played Gaston in the recent remounting of Beauty and the Beast led by Dan Stevens and Emma Watson. The Welsh star is set to return to the role for a Disney Plus prequel series alongside Josh Gad.

Directed by Robert Zemeckis (who helped co-write the upcoming Back to the Future musical, with a plethora of credits including Forrest Gump), no release date is currently set for the film. We await further news.

On stage, Evans has appeared in Miss Saigon, Rent, Avenue Q, La Cava, and Taboo.

Pinocchio was brought to the stage in 2017, co-produced by Disney and the National Theatre, with book by Dennis Kelly and direction by John Tiffany.

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