pinocchioBack in November, Robert Downey Jr. and his wife and producing partner, Susan Downey, showed interest in a film adaptation of Pinocchio. Another who showed interest was director Tim Burton, who I joked would throw in his whimsical style and his two lovers — you know who I mean.

Months later, Downey and Downey are officially involved in Pinocchio. But who isn’t involved is Burton; he passed on the project when Robert and Susan decided to go in a different direction with the movie.

Robert Downey Jr. has set his beautiful sights on Ben Stiller, who is now in talks to direct. It’s a wonderful pairing, considering the hilarious Tropic Thunder.

Screenwriter Jane Goldman, of X-Men: First Class, wrote one draft of the script, but the studio is looking for other writers to contribute.

This take on Pinocchio has Downey as Geppetto, desperately looking for his puppet-son Pinocchio, who set off on his journey to become a real boy.

I might be bias — by which I mean extremely — but I’m already looking forward to see how Pinocchio turns out.