Max Medici

Maximillian "Max" Medici is one of the main characters of 2019 live-action movie Dumbo. He is the ringmaster hired to take care of Dumbo.
He was portrayed by , who also voiced Philoctetes and The Lorax.
==Appearance==
Max is an elderly Caucasian man with grey hair. He also wears a black top hat and red circus clothing.
==Personality==
Max is a good-hearted ringmaster who is the owner of the greatest circus in the world. Unlike his cartoon counterpart, he is actually caring and reasonable, and isn't quite greedy. That's shown when he helped others to rescue Dumbo and Mrs. Jumbo from V.A. Vandevere and bring all elephants back to jungle. His moral compass is what makes him a foil to Vandevere.
==Biography==
Max is first shown setting up the circus and welcoming Holt Farrier back from World War I. He and his kids reveal that Holt's wife died in the 1918 flu epidemic and that he has sold the horses from the couple's act, leaving Holt without an act. He also reveals that he has purchased a pregnant elephant named Mrs. Jumbo, hoping that the baby will become a star attraction for the failing circus.
When Mrs. Jumbo gives birth, Medici immediately requests for the baby's abnormally large ears to be hidden. However, when the elephant's ears are accidentally exposed, leading the crowd to name him Dumbo, Mrs. Jumbo storms into the ring and causes extensive damage and accidentally kills her abusive handler Rufus. To prevent a public relations problem, Medici has her locked up as a "mad elephant" and sells her back to her original owner the next day (although he is only able to get him to pay half of what Medici bought the elephant for).
Wanting to keep Dumbo but not wanting him in a serious role, Medici puts him and Holt (who is still looking for a replacement act) in the clown act. Initially, the act is successful and Medici comments that the audience loves it. However, the act soon goes horribly wrong and Dumbo ends up trapped on a high platform on a burning building. Holt's daughter Milly gives Dumbo a feather, encouraging him to fly. This is photographed by an audience member and winds up making national headlines and Dumbo becomes an overnight celebrity. Because of this event, the circus becomes more successful than ever, and a proud Medici happily praises Dumbo as a star.
Medici is approached by businessman V.A. Vandevere some time later, who offers to work out a deal with Medici to give his troupe a home and a permanent venue for their show. Vandevere reveals that he knows that there is no second "Medici brother" and offers to act as a surrogate brother to Medici should he take him up on his offer. Medici agrees and Vandevere becomes co-owner of the circus.
On the night of the troupe's first performance at Vandevere's theme park Dreamland, Medici joins Vandevere and investor J. Griffin Remington in the VIP seats. However, Medici soon learns that the event lacked a safety net, which almost killed Dumbo and Colette, and that Vandevere currently owns Mrs. Jumbo in a separate exhibit. He is even very distraught to see Vandevere ordering his men to separate Dumbo from his mother. Soon after, Vandevere decides to have Mrs. Jumbo taken away and killed and orders the troupe to be fired to cover his tracks, much to Medici's dismay. Deciding that he has had enough, Medici allows his troupe to free Dumbo and Mrs. Jumbo and transport them back to India. Vandevere attempts to stop them but ends up causing an electrical fault that burns down the entire park. Knowing that Medici was involved in freeing the elephants, Vandevere orders for Medici to be arrested, but Medici points out that Dreamland is burning thanks to Vandevere's foolishness and laughs at it. Medici then takes Remington, who he has befriended, away from the scene to get a hot dog.
After the Dreamland incident, Medici decides to give Holt his horse act back, hires Colette as part of the troupe, gives Milly her own sideshow act, gives Joe an act, renames the circus to "The Medici Family Circus", and gives his remaining animals more freedom.
==Trivia==
*He is the third Disney villain to be depicted as a hero, following Maleficent and Lefou, and succeeded by Cruella De Vil, while King Stefan and the Grand Duke were both depicted as evil, antagonistic villains rather than being supporting characters in the original animated film.
==Navigation==
Category:Movie Heroes
Category:Live Action Heroes
Category:Fantasy Heroes
Category:Male
Category:Rescuers
Category:Supporters
Category:Neutral Good
Category:Elderly
Category:Nurturers
Category:Animal Kindness
Category:Adaptational Heroism
Category:Leaders
Category:Businessmen
Category:Lawful Neutral
Category:Redeemed Villains
Category:Honorable
Category:Protectors
Category:Protectors of Innocence
Category:Successful
Category:Optimists
Category:Master of a Villain