2022 is the year of “Pinocchio.” Not only is Guillermo del Toro putting the finishing touches on his stop-motion Netflix reimagining of the classic fairy tale, but Disney is doing what Disney does best by taking its beloved animated classic and adapting it for live-action. We’ve seen it happen with “The Lion King,” “Cinderella,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Aladdin,” and more over the past several years, and next up is “Pinocchio.”
READ MORE: ‘Pinocchio’: Guillermo Del Toro’s First Animated Feature Film Hits Netflix This December
As seen in the trailer for “Pinocchio,” the live-action adaptation of the classic tale is very much just a live-action version of the animated feature. The more fantastical characters, including the titular puppet, all look very similar to their animated counterparts. And even though we have Tom Hanks under a lot of facial hair and a wig as Geppetto, he still looks almost identical to the classic animated film from 1940. Honestly, much like the previous live-action adaptations from Disney, it appears the studio is perfectly happy with applying a new coat of paint to the classic and re-releasing it into the world. That said, it definitely looks like a big-budget production with state-of-the-art VFX.
“Pinocchio” stars Tom Hanks, as mentioned, but that’s not the end of the recognizable names. Joining Hanks is Cynthia Erivo, Giuseppe Battiston, Luke Evans, Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Keegan-Michael Key. The film is directed by Robert Zemeckis, who co-wrote the feature alongside Chris Weitz. Zemeckis is no stranger to extensive CGI in his films, as he is one of the pioneering filmmakers to use motion-capture years ago.
“Pinocchio” is set to hit Disney+ as part of the streaming service’s Disney+ Day celebration on September 8. You can watch the trailer below.