Pinocchio is being made into a stop-motion musical for Netflix

Utter film director Guillermo del Toro’s name and people get excited. Filmgoers fell in love with the dark and sumptuous “Pan’s Labyrinth” in 2006. More recently, they found themselves bewitched by 2017’s “The Shape of Water.” And did you realize that del Toro was behind the charmingly fun “Trollhunters,” a Netflix original that’s the first in a planned trilogy of fantasy series? Even when a project doesn’t immediately pique one’s interest, people become intrigued when they learn that del Toro’s name is attached.

It will likely be no different as we come to learn more about the director’s latest project, a stop-motion musical adaptation of “Pinocchio” for Netflix that del Toro will write, direct and produce.

Why Pinocchio?

“No art form has influenced my life and my work more than animation and no single character in history has had as deep of a personal connection to me as Pinocchio,” said del Toro in an official statement, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

He went on to explain that the film would follow Pinocchio on a journey that would lead him to understand his seemingly uncaring father — and the real world — in a way he never had before.

This project marks del Toro’s first time as director of an animated film, though the creative team he’s assembled comes with an impressive pedigree. Among those slated to work on the project are the Jim Henson Company and ShadowMachine, the animation studio behind “BoJack Horseman”; Mackinnon & Saunders, the company that did the puppets for Tim Burton’s “Corpse Bride”; Patrick McHale, who created the animated miniseries “Over the Garden Wall” and penned episodes of “Adventure Time”; and Mark Gustafson, who worked on “Fantastic Mr. Fox.”

No information has been released as of yet regarding the cast, but we welcome all fan speculation.

Production begins this fall, and we just can’t wait. We have our finger crossed for another atmospheric tour de force à la “Pan’s Labyrinth.”

Which has been your favorite del Toro flick so far? And who do you think should voice Pinocchio?