Guillermo del Toro's take on Pinocchio finally has a trailer and release date after being stuck in developmental hell for years. Here's everything you need to know about the upcoming stop-motion feature film, including who it stars, what it's about, available trailers, and where you can stream it.
What is the premise of Pinocchio (2022)?
Pinocchio is described as a "dark, twisted retelling of the famous Carlo Collodi fairytale". Set during Benito Mussolini’s fascist reign over Italy in the 1930s, it tells the tale of the wooden puppet who comes to life. But, unlike previous tellings of the story, this film’s Pinocchio (Gregory Mann) gets into mischief, plays cruel tricks, and fails to live up to the expectations of his woodcarver father, Geppetto (David Bradley). The film also features - and seems to be narrated by - Sebastian J Cricket (Ewan McGregor), as seen in the first teaser trailer.
Here is the synopsis for the film:
"Academy Award-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro reimagines the classic Italian tale of Pinocchio in a stop-motion musical adventure. Follow the mischievous adventures of Pinocchio in his pursuit of a place in the world."
Pinocchio is co-directed by Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson. It's written by del Toro and Matthew Robbins, with del Toro producing alongside The Jim Henson Company.
Who stars in Pinocchio (2022)?
Pinocchio is a stop-motion animated musical fantasy film starring the voices of Gregory Mann, Ewan McGregor, David Bradley, Ron Perlman, Tilda Swinton, Christoph Waltz, Cate Blanchett, Tim Blake Nelson, Finn Wolfhard, John Turturro, and Burn Gorman. Below is a confirmed list of the different characters and who voices them:
- Gregory Mann as Pinocchio
- Ewan McGregor as Sebastian J. Cricket
- David Bradley as Master Geppetto
- Ron Perlman as Mangiafuoco
- Tilda Swinton as the Fairy with Turquoise Hair
- Christoph Waltz as the Fox
- Cate Blanchett as Sprezzatura the Monkey
- Tim Blake Nelson as the Coachman
- Finn Wolfhard as Lampwick/Lucignolo
- John Turturro as Master Cherry
- Burn Gorman as the Carabiniere
When will Pinocchio (2022) premiere?
- US release date: December 2022
Pinocchio will release in December 2022. An exact date has yet to be revealed.
Del Toro originally announced the film over a decade ago, with a 2013 or 2014 release date, but development stalled until Netflix acquired the film and resumed production a few years ago. Keep in mind this film is not to be confused with Disney's Pinocchio (2022), a live-action computer-animated musical, which is coming to Disney+ later this year.
Where can you watch Pinocchio (2022)?
Pinocchio is set to exclusively hit Netflix.
Are there any Pinocchio (2022) trailers?
Yes, you can watch one at the top of this page.
How to catch up and get ready for Pinocchio (2022)
Perhaps consider watching Disney's Pinocchio, an animated classic from 1940 that introduced the fairytale to audiences around the globe. Pocket-lint also recommends watching The Adventures of Pinocchio, the 1996 live-action film. Although it was a critical and commercial failure, Jim Henson's Creature Shop created the complex animatronic puppets used in conjunction with stop-motion visual effects. Considering The Jim Henson Company is producing the new Pinocchio using stop-motion, it might be worth revisiting.