Disney shared the first trailer for the live-action Pinocchio movie, featuring Tom Hanks as the puppet-maker Geppetto. This is the first of two Pinocchio movies hitting streaming services this year, as Guillermo del Toro’s long-gestating animated version is expected to hit Netflix in December. It’s safe to say the two movies will be very different.
The Disney version is based on the studio’s 1940 animated classic, which is still considered one of the best films in the studio’s history. In addition to Hanks, Oscar-nominee Cynthia Erivo (Harriet) stars as the Blue Fairy, while Luke Evans plays The Coachman. (Evans also starred in Disney’s live-action Beauty and the Beast remake as Gaston.) Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, who starred in the Disney+ movie Flora & Ulysses, voices Pinocchio. Joseph Gordon-Levitt voices Jiminy Cricket, Lorraine Bracco voices a seagull, and Keegan-Michael Key voices the fox “Honest” John.
Videos by PopCulture.com
Robert Zemeckis makes a return to CG animation as Pinocchio’s director. He co-wrote the script with Chris Weitz (About a Boy). Alan Silvestri, who has written the scores for many of Zemeckis’ past movies, also write the new score for Pinocchio. However, the trailer goes for the nostalgia play by heavily featuring “When You Wish Upon a Star,” the Oscar-winning song by Leigh Harline and Ned Washington from the 1940 movie. The song has since become the Walt Disney Company’s unofficial signature tune and has become an American standard.
The story of Pinocchio comes from The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi. Published in Italy in 1883, the collection of stories featuring Pinocchio, a wooden puppet who wants to become a real boy. It is considered one of the most widely-published works of fiction in the world. Since it has been in the public domain in the U.S. since 1940, Disney hasn’t been able to stop other filmmakers from making their own adaptations. Del Toro’s animated film is a very different take, moving the story to Fascist Italy and is a collaboration with The Jim Henson Company.
There have also been many adaptations in Italy as well. Matteo Garrone’s 2019 film was met with critical acclaim and earned Oscar nominations for Best Costume Design and Best Makeup and Hairstyling. Garrone’s film featured Roberto Benigni as Geppetto, 17 years after Benigni directed himself as Pinocchio in his 2002 adaptation.
Disney’s live-action Pinocchio will be released exclusively to Disney+ on Sept. 8, which happens to be Disney+ Day. In the meantime, you can check out the 1940 classic on Disney+.
