Academy Award-winner, Guillermo del Toro, has announced that he will make his anticipated animated feature film directorial debut at Netflix with his lifelong passion project, Pinocchio, which he will also write and produce as a stop motion musical.
Del Toro will set his retelling of the classic tale in Italy during the 1930s.
Pinocchio is a co-production between Guillermo del Toro, The Jim Henson Company, and ShadowMachine, which will house the stop-motion animation production.
Photo by Margaret Malandruccolo
Guillermo del Toro comments:
“No art form has influenced my life and my work more than animation and no single character in history has had as deep of a personal connection to me as Pinocchio. In our story, Pinocchio is an innocent soul with an uncaring father who gets lost in a world he cannot comprehend. He embarks on an extraordinary journey that leaves him with a deep understanding of his father and the real world. I’ve wanted to make this movie for as long as I can remember. After the incredible experience we have had on Trollhunters, I am grateful that the talented team at Netflix is giving me the opportunity of a lifetime to introduce audiences everywhere to my version of this strange puppet-turned-real-boy.”
Guillermo del Toro, Lisa Henson, ShadowMachine’s Alex Bulkley, Corey Campodonico, and Gary Ungar of Exile Entertainment will produce, alongside Blanca Lista as co-producer.
Patrick McHale will co-write the script, Mark Gustafson will co-direct, and Guy Davis will serve as co-production designer, taking inspiration from Gris Grimly’s original design for the Pinocchio character.
The film’s puppets will be built by Mackinnon and Saunders (Corpse Bride).
