Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro (The Shape of Water) is headed to Netflix to direct his first ever animated feature, Pinocchio. The streaming service announced today that del Toro will be working alongside The Jim Henson Company (The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance) and ShadowMachine (BoJack Horseman) to create the stop-motion feature, which the director calls a lifelong dream project of his.
“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,” said del Toro about the project. “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.”
The project comes as an expansion between the deal that del Toro has in place with Dreamworks Animations, who helped him bring Trollhunters to life. The puppets will come courtesy of Mackinnon and Saunders, best known for Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride. del Toro will co-direct with The Fantastic Mr. Fox’s Mark Gustafson and co-produce with Lisa Henson, ShadowMachine’s Alex Bulkley, Corey Campodonico, and Gary Ungar of Exile Entertainment.
Production is expected to begin this fall.
(Photo credit: Getty Images)
