Pinocchio is entering the Poohniverse.
The frequently adapted children’s story is set to become the latest standalone film introduced into the extremely bloody and gory world of “Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey,” the IP-bludgeoning microbudget slasher that that sparked headlines for turning A. A. Milne’s jovial bear into a feral serial killer (and made $5.2 million at the box office after costing under $50,000 to make).
PvNew has the details of the Pinocchio project, which is selling in Cannes via Premiere Entertainment. Like “Blood and Honey,” Rhys Frake-Waterfield will direct the film, which which have little reliance on VFX and feature the character of Pinocchio as a practical doll (casting for Geppetto will soon be announced). Todd Masters at MastersFx (creator of Chucky in the 2019 “Child’s Play”) will be taking the lead in all animatronics and puppetry, while the Prosthetics Studio (whose credits include films in the “Harry Potter” and “Star Wars” franchises), will be handling much of the practical gore. Filming is due to begin in September with a January release being eyed.
Just to offer an idea of the gruesome carnage set to unfold, PvNew hears one scene will see Pinnochio wearing the skin of his victim so he can “feel like a real boy.”
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“This will be an extremely unique and R-rated depiction of Pinocchio,” said Frake-Waterfield. “Featuring a high kill count, a subversion of the original story, and lots of practical gore. I’m going to welcome Pinocchio into the Poohniverse with a bang.”
Earlier this year, Frake-Waterfield and Scott Jeffrey, his filmmaking partner prolific horror banner Jagged Edge Productions, unveiled “Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble,” an Avengers-style crossover bringing together Pooh and various other beloved children’s character gone bad. Alongside Pooh, other figures set to appear include Bambi, Tinkerbell, Pinocchio, Peter Pan, Tigger, Piglet, the Mad Hatter and Sleeping Beauty, with production set to kick off this year. Like Pinocchio, Bambi and Peter Pan also have standalone films in the works.
