Watch Pinocchio Turns Into a Monster in Terrifying New Horror Reimagining ‘Pinocchio Unstrung’
A new look at Pinocchio: Unstrung has arrived, and it shows just how far this twisted version of the famous wooden puppet will go. Instead of a sweet fairy tale about becoming a real boy, the upcoming horror movie turns Pinocchio into a dangerous figure caught in a violent nightmare filled with practical effects, chaos, and slasher-style horror.
The film is set to arrive in theaters on July 24, and it is already becoming one of the most extreme projects connected to the growing Twisted Childhood Universe. The shared horror franchise takes familiar childhood characters and gives them much darker stories.
Pinocchio: Unstrung is written and directed by Rhys Frake-Waterfield, the filmmaker behind several other projects in the same universe. The movie takes inspiration from Carlo Collodi’s classic 1883 story The Adventures of Pinocchio but completely changes the tone, turning the beloved character into a terrifying version of himself.
The new footage highlights the movie’s violent style and focuses on the film’s practical approach to horror. Instead of creating Pinocchio mainly with computer effects, the production team built a physical animatronic puppet for the character. The goal was to make him feel real and unsettling when he appears on screen.
The team wanted audiences to feel like they were watching an actual wooden creature rather than a digital creation. This practical design is expected to be one of the biggest parts of the movie’s horror style.
The story follows a very different version of Pinocchio. In this film, Geppetto creates the magical puppet and introduces him to his grandson James. At first, Pinocchio develops a friendship with the boy, but everything changes after James brings him into the outside world.
The puppet struggles to understand human behavior, emotions, and morality. As he tries to figure out what is right and wrong, Pinocchio begins a violent mission based on his own twisted ideas of justice. The character’s desire to become a real boy becomes something much darker.
A description of the story explains that Pinocchio begins a destructive journey after being influenced by a world he does not fully understand. This version of the character is far removed from the classic story, replacing the themes of kindness and growth with fear and violence.
The cast includes Jack Art Gray as Pinocchio, with horror legends Robert Englund and Richard Brake taking important voice roles. Englund provides the voice of the Cricket, while Brake plays Geppetto. The movie also features Cameron Bell, Jessica Balmer, and Peter DeSouza-Feighoney.
Pinocchio: Unstrung first premiered at the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival on April 11. After its festival debut, the movie is preparing for a wider release in North America through Viva Pictures, while ITN Distribution will handle international releases.
The project was first announced in 2024 as part of the expansion of the Twisted Childhood Universe. The franchise has gained attention by transforming recognizable characters into horror figures, giving audiences a completely different take on stories they grew up with.
With its disturbing new version of Pinocchio, heavy practical effects, and slasher-inspired style, Pinocchio: Unstrung is aiming to turn a childhood favorite into one of the strangest horror releases of the year. Fans will find out on July 24 whether this dark experiment can successfully reinvent one of the world’s most famous fictional characters.
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