Credit: Pinocchio

The Back to the Future director hopes to bring his magic to the live-action story of Pinocchio. The latest retelling of the animated classic sees Tom Hanks as Geppetto, a woodcarver who builds Pinocchio (voiced by Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) and raises him as if he was a real boy. Finally, Pinocchio’s wish of becoming a real boy is granted, and a big adventure awaits the beloved character. Pinocchio also stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Jiminy Cricket, Cynthia Erivo as the Blue Fairy, Keegan-Michael Key as “Honest” John, Lorraine Bracco as Sofia the Seagull, and Luke Evans as The Coachman. Pinocchio is set to be released on September 8th exclusively on Disney Plus. Below are the five best moments of the Pinocchio trailer:

Showcase of Father and Son Relationship Between Geppetto and Pinocchio

This Disney classic seems to follow the same story as the 1940s animation, which isn’t necessarily bad. One of the strong suits of the trailer is the father/son bond that Pinocchio and his creator, Geppetto, share. It’s a simple plot device meant for audiences to connect with both characters and adds some nice dimension to Pinocchio and Geppetto. By highlighting their relationship, in the beginning, audiences instantly understand who they are, why they’re such relatable characters and the potential struggles that these two face. The original animation touched on some dark themes, and if this is just a live-action update, then those same moments should play out here, which makes the father/son dynamic even more crucial to the story.

Blue Fairy Grants Pinocchio His Wish

Having Academy Award nominee Cynthia Erivo play the Blue Fairy is an exciting choice. We all know what the ultimate role of the Blue Fairy is, to grant Pinocchio’s wish of becoming a real boy; however, given the incredible depth of Erivo’s talent, there’s a bit more juice to her arc than the animated version. Granted, I don’t expect Erivo to have her side plot detailing her adventures as it would distract from the main story of Pinocchio, but it would be odd (but not a first) to cast such a high-caliber actress in a thankless role. Nevertheless, another essential thing about this scene is the stunning visuals. Disney spared no expense on the Pinocchio feature, which appears to be a visual treat for the eyes. The real question is, will the story be as good as the visuals? Given that Robert Zemeckis is helping the project, it would be shocking if the answer turned out to be no.

Pinocchio Dances

The animation for Pinocchio himself looks top-notch; however, the straightforward story of the feature is what helps sell the upcoming live-action film. Pinocchio presents the stakes of the feature that the puppet is living out his dreams of becoming a real boy. On the flip side, the wolf is looking to take advantage of the young boy by using Pinocchio’s likeness for profit. Pinocchio’s dancing represents his life’s joys, which will be balanced out by sadness once the tone shifts in the upcoming feature.

Credit: Pinocchio

Geppetto Searches For Pinocchio

Pinocchio is missing, and this is where the tide turns for the trailer. The visuals of seeing the clocks going off and Tom Hanks’s concern help convey the shift in tone for the upcoming live-action pic. It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if Disney lightened the film’s plot somewhat, but since Luke Evans plays The Coachman – a man who ultimately kidnaps Pinocchio – there doesn’t seem to be much of a change to the overall themes of the animated classic. Given some recent live-action updates, it’s not a simple mechanic to replicate everything from the animated feature; however, the incredible depth of talent in front and behind the camera should make Pinocchio a slam dunk. Geppetto is searching for his son highlights that Disney hasn’t tinkered too much with what the fans loved about the animated counterpart. Still, hopefully, there are a couple of surprises along the way.

Pleasure Island

This moment is more of a spectacle as it again highlights the fantastic visuals accompanied by the upcoming feature. Of course, quality should always come over substance, so hopefully, this is a case where the visuals don’t dominate the Disney Plus feature. Showcasing Pleasure Island helps give the story more of a juxtaposition: a theme park with such wonder and awe is led by an evil promoter who cares more about fame and fortune. Hopefully, Pinocchio develops The Coachman into a well-rounded antagonist, and given the talents of Luke Evans, he should be able to bring life to the classic character.Back to the Future