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Horror legends Robert Englund (A Nightmare on Elm Street) and Richard Brake (Rob Zombies Halloween II, Barbarian) have joined the Twisted Childhood Universe with roles in Pinocchio: Unstrung, from the team behind Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey.
Reporting the news exclusively today, Variety also revealed a first look at the fully practical puppet from Emmy-award winning SFX artist Todd Masters (Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight, Child’s Play). Brake will be playing the puppet master Geppetto, with no word on Englund’s role just yet.
Rhys Frake-Waterfield and Scott Jeffrey,Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey director and producer respectively, will return to those roles as their horror banner Jagged Edge Productions.
According to Variety, the feature, which is looking at an early 2025 release date, follows young James as he learns of his grandfather Geppetto’s deadly secret: Pinocchio.
Alongside Englund and Brake, Cameron Bell, Jessica Balmer, Jack Art Gray and Peter De Souza-Feighoney also star.
Pinocchio: Unstrung is another entry into the so-called… Poohniverse, which will eventually lead to an Avengers-style crossover called Poohniverse Monsters Assemble, with Bambi: The Reckoning joining too.
Speaking to Variety, Brake expressed his excitement for joining the TCU:
“Not only is the script dark, twisted and gory, it’s also at times very funny. Todd Masters and his team have created incredible practical effects. Audiences are in for a crazy ride,”
Masters adds:
“I’ve forever loved the original and demented story from the 1880s. So I was excited to join this production, to bring this little puppet to life — with all practical FX […] This version is still a little puppet’s pursuit to becoming a boy… but the way he becomes one, is extremely gnarly… and frankly, very fun.”
Famously, Blood and Honey was a massive sleeper hit racking up over $5 million box office bucks off a $500,000 budget. No wonder the team were keen to keep pulling on these strings (get it? Because Pinocchio… never mind).
Look out for more on the R-rated Pinocchio: Unstrung as we get it. We gotta admit, he does look very creepy. Check this pic out:
DAVID INCE
