Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio is just weeks away, as the iconic filmmaker presents his long-awaited stop-motion reimagining of a classic fairytale. The Mexican auteur is perhaps best known as the writer-director of Pan’s Labyrinth and The Shape of Water, for which he won a combined seven Oscars.
Pinocchio is something of a passion project for del Toro, and has been around 15 years in the making. After several false starts and near cancellations over the past decade, the film was acquired by Netflix in 2018, and received a limited theatrical run around the world before its premiere on the streaming platform later this year.
In a statement published by Variety on the film’s announcement, del Toro said he had wanted to make the film for “as long as I can remember.” He said: “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.”
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Following its run in theaters, the film currently holds a 97 percent Certified Fresh rating on reviews site Rotten Tomatoes, with critics praising its masterful visuals and some even tipping it for a nomination at next years Oscars. Here, we break down everything you need to know about Pinocchio.
What is it about?
Pinocchio is a retelling of Italian author Carlo Collodi’s classic 1883 novel The Adventures of Pinocchio, about a wooden puppet who comes to life and dreams of becoming a real boy. This new version takes place in 1930s Italy, during the rise of fascism as dictator Benito Mussolini consolidates his control between the two World Wars.
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In it, Geppetto, a heartbroken woodcarver, mourns the loss of his son and makes a wish that brings a puppet – carved from the wood of a tree that grew over his son’s grave – to life. This gives Geppetto the chance to care for Pinocchio as if he was his own child, who learns about life and love as he gives in to the desires of a ‘real boy’.
“In our story, Pinocchio is an innocent soul with an uncaring father who gets lost in a world he cannot comprehend,” del Toro told Variety. “He embarks on an extraordinary journey that leaves him with a deep understanding of his father and the real world.”
Who are the cast and crew?
Pinocchio is written, directed and produced by legendary filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, and co-directed by Mark Gustafson – animation director of Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr. Fox – in his feature directorial debut. The film was also co-produced by The Jim Henson Company – the company behind The Muppets.
It boasts an all-star cast of actors lending their voices to the film, including Ewan McGregor as Sebastian J. Cricket – a new take on Jiminy Cricket – as the film’s narrator who also serves as Pinocchio’s conscience. British actor David Bradley – best known Harry Potter’s Argus Filch – stars as Pinocchio's grieving father Geppetto.
Oscar winners Christoph Waltz, Tilda Swinton and Cate Blanchett also star, alongside Ron Perlman, John Turturro, and Stranger Things’ Finn Wolfhard. The titular role is voiced by newcomer Gregory Mann, who appears in just his second feature film as the little wooden boy.
When is Pinocchio released?
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio is available to stream on Netflix from December 9 at 8am.
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