Robert Zemeckis has pulled out of plans to create a new version of The Beatles’ Yellow Submarine saying that he does not have any interest in doing remakes at this point in his career.

Zemeckis, who directed The Polar Express as well as Forrest Gump and the Back To The Future movies, was connected to the film whilst Dick Cook was chairman of Disney. However, Cook has since stepped down and Zemeckis has reevaluated his position regarding the remake.

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Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Zemeckis said: “I’m not going to do Yellow Submarine… and I don’t want to do any remakes. You’re behind the eight ball from the get-go. And how many movies have I got left in me, really? I’m getting kind of old. So I don’t think I should take those years out of my life and do a remake.”

The potential for a remake of the 1968 animated film has been around since 2009 with Zemeckis keen to put the technology used in his films such as Beowulf to the remake with the intention being that the film would be released in time for the 2012 Olympic Games in London. However, the subsequent failure of a number of Zemeckis’ films led to plans being put on ice. It was rumoured that comedian Peter Serafinowicz had been cast to voice Paul McCartney‘s character in the movie.