Netflix, del Toro bring Pinocchio back to life

Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro has teamed up with The Jim Henson Company (TJHC) to direct, write and produce a stop-motion animated musical based on the classic tale of Pinocchio for Netflix.

Guillermo del Toro

The feature film, described as a lifelong passion project for the Academy Award-winning filmmaker, sees del Toro continue his relationship with the streaming giant, with whom he has partnered on DreamWorks’ Tales of Arcadia trilogy.

He is also the creator of the forthcoming Netflix series, Guillermo del Toro Presents 10 After Midnight.

Del Toro has set his retelling of Pinocchio in Italy during the 1930s. It will be produced by del Toro and The Jim Henson Company alongside ShadowMachine (Bojack Horseman), which will house the stop-motion animation production.

Alongside del Toro, Lisa Henson, ShadowMachine’s Alex Bulkley, Corey Campodonico, and Gary Ungar of Exile Entertainment will produce. Blanca Lista will coproduce.

Also alongside del Toro, Patrick McHale (Over The Garden Wall, Adventure Time) will co-write the script, Mark Gustafson (Fantastic Mr. Fox) 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 & Saunders (Corpse Bride). Netflix expects production on Pinocchio to begin this fall.

In related news, TJHC is working with Canadian production company Omnifilm Entertainment to develop the live action kids/family series Knights of Panterra, based on a series of novels written by Jeff Norton.

The story follows four teens who band together to form a secret order of knights who ride dinosaurs. Simon Barry (Ghost Wars) is on board as showrunner.