Pinocchio is set to make his debut on Netflix, with the project being helmed by Academy Award winner Guillermo del Toro.
This comes via a new report by Variety stating that Netflix has given Del Toro the green light to direct and write a stop-motion Pinocchio film. The film will be set in the 1930’s in Italy and its production will begin in the fall.
The film will be co-written by Patrick McHale and Mark Gustafson will be the co-director alongside Del Toro. The puppets for the film will be built by Saunders and Mackinnon, the same team behind Corpse Bride.
Del Toro said the following in a statement:
“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.”
Also read: ‘Wonder Woman 1984’ Release Date Pushed Back To 2020
Del Toro has previously worked with Netflix on his Tales of Arcadia animated trilogy. Trollhunters, the first in the series just finished its three-season run earlier this year while 3Below, the second instalment will launch in December. Del Toro has also created a horror anthology for Netflix called Guillermo Del Toro Presents 10 After Midnight.
Melissa Cobb, vice president of Kids and Family at Netflix, said the following in a statement:
“Throughout his distinguished career, Guillermo has exhibited mastery in inspiring people through his magical worlds filled with unforgettable and magnificent characters, from the monsters in Pan’s Labyrinth to the aquatic beast in The Shape of Water. We are incredibly excited to expand our relationship with Guillermo and we know that his deeply touching vision for bringing Pinocchio to life on Netflix will be embraced by audiences the world over.”
