In Tim Burton’s 2019 film Dumbo, V. A. Vandevere is the circus owner who buys the Medici Brothers’ Circus. He acquires it after seeing the extraordinary flying abilities of the young elephant Dumbo.
Vandevere runs Dreamland, a large entertainment complex that presents circus acts alongside amusement attractions. He believes Dumbo can become the centerpiece of Dreamland and uses the elephant’s fame to expand his business. The acquisition changes the Medici performers’ circumstances while exposing them to Vandevere’s controlling ambitions.
Michael Keaton played V. A. Vandevere, while Danny DeVito played Max Medici, the owner of the smaller circus. Colin Farrell played Holt Farrier, a former soldier who returns to work for Medici and helps care for Dumbo. Eva Green portrayed Colette Marchant, Vandevere’s star aerialist.
The 2019 film is a live-action reimagining of Disney’s 1941 animated Dumbo. It expands the human characters and introduces Dreamland as a major setting. Unlike the 1941 film, Burton’s version gives the circus family a larger role in confronting the exploitation surrounding Dumbo’s fame.