Netflix announces Guillermo del Toro to direct passion project Pinocchio

October 22nd 2018, 3:00pm

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Okay, first thing's first. I know (or I have a pretty good idea) that Del Toro's upcoming PINOCCHIO flick is exactly what we might call "horror." But all the same, I know that all of us have been hearing word of this film for years, so I thought it would be best to pass along the awesome news.

yes, today Netflix announced that Academy Award-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro is making his 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. Pinocchio will be del Toro’s first feature film since THE SHAPE OF WATER, which garnered four Academy Awards last year, including for Best Director and Best Picture.

Guillermo del Toro:

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.

Del Toro has set his retelling of the classic tale of Pinocchio in Italy during the 1930s. This marks an expansion of Netflix’s existing relationship with Guillermo del Toro, who created their Emmy award-winning television series TROLLHUNTERS, the first installment of the TALES FROM ARCADIA trilogy. The next chapter, 3BELOW, is set to debut on December 21, 2018, followed by WIZARDS in 2019. He is also the creator of the upcoming Netflix series, Guillermo del Toro Presents 10 AFTER MIDNIGHT.

Melissa Cobb, Vice President of Kids and Family at Netflix:

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 creature 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.

The film is a production of Del Toro, The Jim Henson Company, and ShadowMachine, which will house the stop-motion animation production. Alongside del Toro, Lisa Henson, ShadowMachine’s Alex Bulkley, Corey Campodonico, and Gary Ungar will produce. Blanca Lista will co-produce. 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.

Netflix expects production on PINOCCHIO to begin this fall.