Storybook legend Pinocchio gets deadly makeover as favorite character features in new horror film

A horrific metamorphosis is planned for the beloved children's book character Pinocchio. The wooden puppet Pinocchio leaves behind his innocent beginnings and enters a terrifying story in the new horror movie Pinocchio: Unstrung. This movie is a part of an increasingly popular genre that sees scary horror films adapt beloved children's books. With a director credit shared with Rhys Frake-Waterfield (director of Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey), the film favors real effects over computer-generated imagery, offering audiences a more immersive experience, as per the reports of Daily Star.

A Glimpse into the Grisly World

The first image of Pinocchio: Unstrung was from a billboard that Bloody Disgusting leaked, in which the puppet is seen wreaking havoc. The scene is bleak, with broken strings, blood, and a stabbed hand all over the floor. The phrase "There's nothing holding him back" implies that Pinocchio is no longer constrained by his past innocence or by his cords. The movie is scheduled to shoot in October and is expected to be released the following year. The cast will likely be revealed soon.

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Building the horror universe

This horror take on Pinocchio is part of a broader universe known as the Twisted Childhood Universe (TCU), created by Jagged Edge Productions and ITN Studios. Following the unexpected success of Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey, which turned A. A. Milne’s beloved bear into a serial killer, the TCU has expanded rapidly. Besides Pinocchio: Unstrung, other classic characters like Bambi and Peter Pan are also getting terrifying reboots. Bambi: The Reckoning, set for release in 2025, and Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare, expected in 2024, are already in the works.

Practical effects and high gore

Pinocchio: Unstrung will mostly rely on practical effects, with puppetry and animatronics led by Todd Masters, who is well-known for his work on Child's Play and Underworld Awakening. With a sequence when Pinocchio, in a deranged attempt to become a real boy, wears the skin of his victim, the movie is expected to be quite gory. High standards have been set by Rhys Frake-Waterfield, who wants to make the ultimate Pinocchio horror movie with a lot of kills and subversive narrative.

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Expanding the Poohniverse

The Twisted Childhood Universe is also expanding with projects like Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble, an Avengers-style crossover featuring characters like Tigger, Piglet, and the Mad Hatter. This ambitious crossover will bring together these corrupted childhood icons in a single, horrifying universe. As the TCU grows, fans can expect more beloved characters to be reimagined in increasingly dark and twisted ways.

FAQs:

Who is directing Pinocchio: Unstrung?
Rhys Frake-Waterfield, known for Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey, is directing Pinocchio: Unstrung. He emphasizes practical effects to create an immersive and terrifying experience for the audience.

How does Pinocchio: Unstrung differ from other adaptations?
Unlike traditional adaptations, Pinocchio: Unstrung is a horror film that uses practical effects and a dark narrative to present Pinocchio in a much more sinister light, as part of a growing twisted childhood universe.