We see many new films that are actually remakes of older ones. It’s possibly just an inner hunger to make everything done in the past look better and sound better altogether. For famous director Guillermo del Toro, it’s about something completely different.
His project “Pinocchio” has been in the works for almost 10 years now. The only thing that’s missing is the financing. Surely you’d think that a director of his caliber can easily get the money needed to fund a movie–any movie. But that isn’t just the case, especially if you’re trying to make one of the most beloved characters in all the world of fairytales into an anti-fascist character in the time of Mussolini. Of course, del Toro is also asking for $35 million to fund the project. That’s small in Hollywood’s standards, but the film will be a stop-motion project, something that del Toro isn’t new to.
The problem with getting the funding, probably, is that many people want to see a different kind of Pinocchio. There’s a certain kind of creativity that goes with del Toro’s desire to use puppets in his film, but many people might not be as interested. Del Toro isn’t willing to sacrifice his creative vision just to get a project going, and neither should he. He has found plenty of successes throughout his career, and he’s given us some of the oddest films also. After all, this is the guy that gave us Crimson Peak, Hellboy, and Pan’s Labyrinth. He’s also given us Pacific Rim, Trollhunters, and The Hobbit series.
While Pinocchio has already been announced, some sources are saying that they’re still waiting for financing. We’re sure that the darker retelling of the tale will be something worth seeing; it’s del Toro after all. His last project, The Shape of Water, is an unusual love story set in the 1960s. It’s a bit of a beauty meets beast type of tale, except the beast is an underwater creature. Sounds difficult to imagine? A bit until you see it. The film premiered at the Telluride Film Festival and critics pretty much raved about the movie in one way or another, if not for the story then for the telling of it.
You’d think that del Toro would have gotten the funding for now. If he can sell a difficult topic such as The Shape of Water, surely he can make Pinocchio something that’s worth seeing. Only time will tell if this movie will actually make it into production. We’ll be sure to keep an eye on the project as we enjoy some of his other works. We’re sure blessed to have someone as talented and visionary as del Toro. Without this guy in Hollywood, we might not be able to see our craziest fears and wildest imaginations come to life on the big screen. Someone give this guy $35 million already so we can see Pinocchio as something more than the puppet that came to life and lies constantly. He’s surely a bit more than that.
Follow Us
