The official trailer for Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio movie has arrived – and it looks like it'll be a firm family favorite over the festive season.
Released less than two months after Pinocchio's first teaser left us spellbound, the near three-minute trailer is packed full of perilous moments, heartfelt scenes, and whimsical humor. Suffice to say, we'll be sticking this one on our “to watch” list for the holidays.
Check out the trailer below:
Co-written and co-directed by the Oscar-winning del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth, The Shape of Water, Hellboy), Netflix's adaptation of the classic fairytale is a wholly stop-motion affair. There's no live-action or CGI components here, but that gives del Toro's take on Carlo Collodi's legendary tale more than a fresh lick of paint. Without wanting to sound hyperbolic, it looks absolutely gorgeous, so fans of stop-motion animation are sure to lap this new Netflix movie up.
Del Toro's Pinocchio also comes out swinging from a voice cast perspective. Ewan McGregor (Obi-Wan Kenobi), Tilda Swinton (Doctor Strange), Finn Wolfhard (Stranger Things), Christoph Waltz (Django Unchained), Jon Turturro (The Batman), Ron Perlman (Hellboy), and Tim Blake Nelson (Watchmen) all lend their vocal talents to the Netflix movie. Gregory Mann, in his first major film role, voices the titular wooden boy.
Mark Gustafson (Claymation Easter) directs alongside del Toro, with additional screenplay provided by Patrick McHale (Tome of the Unknown) and Matthew Robbins (Crimson Peak).
Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio has already earned rave reviews from critics on the 2022 film festival circuit, so expect it to be in with more than a shout at the biggest award ceremonies in 2023. Netflix's Pinocchio arrives in select theaters on November 11 before making its Netflix debut on December 9.
Analysis: battle of the wooden boys
Netflix's Pinocchio isn't the only adaptation of Collodi's work to be released this year – nor is it the only one to land on one of the world's best streaming services.
Earlier in 2022, a live-action remake of Pinocchio was released on Disney Plus, which starred the likes of beloved actor Tom Hanks, Cynthia Erivo, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. While Disney's remake largely stuck to the plot that made the original animated flick such an engrossing watch, though, it failed to resonate with critics and audiences. In our Pinocchio review, we said it was a “somewhat magical remake whose strings ultimately hold it down”. Based on the general consensus, that seems to be what many people think of it, too.
By contrast, del Toro's Pinocchio already sounds like it's onto a winner. Stop-motion animation is a task unto itself, so any movie of that ilk will always earn plaudits from viewers. If nothing else, audiences appreciate the level of commitment and work that goes into such projects.
Netflix's version of Pinocchio, though, has so much more going for it. Its voice cast is stupendous. In del Toro, it has a big-name, multi-award winning director behind it who knows how to make great movies. Additionally, it just looks like a genuinely inspiring, emotional, and beautiful film – one that the whole family can enjoy as they digest their Christmas or other staple holiday meal.
In the battle of the adaptations, then, it's del Toro's Pinocchio that appears set to become a real boy. Sorry, Disney, but your latest take on Pinocchio looks wooden in comparison.
For more Netflix-based content, check out the best Netflix movies around. Or, if you're after TV offerings instead, read our best Netflix shows and best Netflix documentaries lists.
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