Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio

film by del Toro and Gustafson [2022]

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July 23, 2026

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Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio is a 2022 stop-motion animated film that reimagines the classic tale of a wooden puppet brought to life. Directed by Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson, the film is set in Fascist Italy and explores themes of life, death, and love through the eyes of the mischievous puppet who longs to be a real boy.1

The story follows Pinocchio's journey as he navigates a world filled with moral complexities, often learning harsh lessons about obedience and truth. Unlike earlier adaptations, del Toro's version is noted for its darker tone and its exploration of the relationship between fathers and sons, a recurring motif in del Toro's work. The film's visual style is characterized by rich imagery and practical effects, further enhanced by its stop-motion animation. The narrative emphasizes Pinocchio's desire for genuine connection and his struggle to understand the human condition, ultimately leading to his transformation into a real boy.123

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Guillermo del Toro
Major successes: Pan’s Labyrinth and The Shape of Water
…2022 he codirected and cowrote Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, a stop-motion animated drama that reinterpreted C. Collodi’s classic literary character. The dark tale is largely set in 1930s Italy during the reign of fascism in the country. Ambitious and visually stunning, the film won the Oscar for best animated feature.…
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…2022 he codirected and cowrote Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, a stop-motion animated drama that reinterpreted C. Collodi’s classic literary character. The dark tale is largely set in 1930s Italy during the reign of fascism in the country. Ambitious and visually stunning, the film won the Oscar for best animated feature.…
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Christoph Waltz
Branching out in later work
In the animated film Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (2022), Waltz provided the voice of Count Volpe. In 2025 he reunited with del Toro in an adaptation of Frankenstein.
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In the animated film Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (2022), Waltz provided the voice of Count Volpe. In 2025 he reunited with del Toro in an adaptation of Frankenstein.
Read More