The beloved children’s character “Pinocchio” is poised to undergo a dark transformation in the upcoming film “Pinocchio Unstrung.” This film will join the controversial and gruesome world of “Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey,” which garnered significant attention for reimagining A. A. Milne’s cheerful bear as a vicious serial killer. Despite its modest budget of under $50,000, “Blood and Honey” achieved impressive success, grossing $5.2 million at the box office.
Pinocchio Unstrung details
“Pinocchio: Unstrung” is being marketed at the Cannes Film Festival by Premiere Entertainment. Rhys Frake-Waterfield, who directed “Blood and Honey,” will also helm this new project. The film will focus heavily on practical effects rather than CGI, featuring Pinocchio as an animatronic doll. Todd Masters from MastersFx, known for his work on the 2019 “Child’s Play,” will oversee the animatronics and puppetry. Prosthetics Studio, with experience from franchises like “Harry Potter” and “Star Wars,” will handle the practical gore effects. Filming is slated to begin in September, aiming for a January release.
In a particularly disturbing scene as reported by Variety, Pinocchio is depicted wearing the skin of his victim in a bid to “feel like a real boy.” Frake-Waterfield promises that this adaptation will be a uniquely R-rated take on the classic tale, featuring a high kill count and extensive practical gore. “I’m going to welcome Pinocchio into the Poohniverse with a bang,” he stated.
Earlier this year, Frake-Waterfield, along with his filmmaking partner Scott Jeffrey from the horror production company Jagged Edge Productions, announced an ambitious project titled “Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble.” This Avengers-style crossover will bring together various corrupted versions of beloved children’s characters. Alongside Pooh, the film will feature characters like Bambi, Tinkerbell, Pinocchio, Peter Pan, Tigger, Piglet, the Mad Hatter, and Sleeping Beauty.
Production for this crossover is set to begin later this year, with standalone films for characters like Bambi and Peter Pan also in development. “Pinocchio: Unstrung” promises to deliver a shocking and gruesome reimagining of the classic story, pushing the boundaries of horror and challenging audiences’ perceptions of these timeless characters.
