The “Twin Film” problem is something that has been around for decades. The idea is basically that when competing studios release two films with the same story (or only moderately different), then the first one released is normally going to win, with the second one being forgotten, regardless of quality. We’ve seen it throughout the years and just recently with “The Jungle Book” and “Mowgli.” But we’re getting set up for another round in the next couple years as Disney preps a live-action “Pinocchio” that will compete with the stop-motion version that Guillermo del Toro is cooking up for Netflix. But listening to del Toro explain his film, it appears these films will be very, very different.
While attending the Marrakech Film Festival (via THR), the Oscar-winning filmmaker discussed his recently-announced animated project and what separates it from other versions of the classic tale.
“It’s not a ‘Pinocchio’ for all the family,” said del Toro.
When asked if it was a political film, the filmmaker said, “Of course. ‘Pinocchio’ during the rise of Mussolini, do the math. A puppet during the rise of fascism, yes, it is.”
He later continued this train of thought by saying, “Rarely can you get in productive discussions in real life right now, it’s so tense. It’s much easier for you to listen to me if I tell you ‘Once upon a time…'”
As del Toro is known to do, he equated the classic children’s story character to a monster, such as the classic Frankenstein’s Monster. “[Pinocchio’s] a creature that is created through unnatural means from a father that he then distances [himself] from, and has to learn about failure and pain and loneliness,” he said. He also states that the reason he chose animation versus typical live-action is that stop-motion is “more expressive” than working with real actors.
Other than the fact that del Toro is tackling such a classic story, the big headline-making aspect of his “Pinocchio” is how he is choosing to work with Netflix on the film, given the recent controversy surrounding the studio’s release strategy and the fact that the filmmaker is an avid lover of the theater experience. But when asked why he chose the streaming service, his answer was far more pragmatic.
“I went to every studio in Hollywood and they all said no, so whoever says yes, I will make it with that person,” he said. Obviously, Netflix said yes.
And as every Q&A with a director is known to do in 2018, the question of whether or not del Toro would be interested in working on a Marvel Studios film came up. This is particularly interesting considering the filmmaker’s attachment to comic book properties such as “Hellboy” and the doomed “Justice League Dark.”
“I’m not interested in superheroes that aren’t monsters. I’m not interested in anyone who looks good,” del Toro said jokingly.
With the addition of Disney+, maybe Marvel Studios would be interested in reviving that “Incredible Hulk” TV show he was working on?