Pinocchio Unstrung is a 2026 British independent slasher film written and directed by Rhys Frake-Waterfield,[1] and stars Robert Englund and Richard Brake. It is the fifth instalment in the Twisted Childhood Universe (TCU) and serves as a horror retelling of Carlo Collodi's 1883 novel The Adventures of Pinocchio.
| Pinocchio Unstrung | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Rhys Frake-Waterfield |
| Screenplay by | Rhys Frake-Waterfield[1] |
| Based on | |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Vince Knight |
| Music by | Andrew Scott Bell[2] |
Production company | Jagged Edge Productions |
| Distributed by | ITN Distribution |
Release dates |
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Running time | 82 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
The film premiered at the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival on 11 April 2026, before going for a worldwide theatrical release on 24 July 2026, by ITN Distribution.
Premise
Cast
- Jack Art Gray as the voice of Pinocchio
- Robert Englund as the voice of the Cricket[4]
- Richard Brake as Geppetto
- Cameron Bell as James
- Jessica Balmer
- Peter DeSouza-Feighoney as Michael Darling[5]
Production
In January 2024, it was announced that a horror film centered around the titular character from The Adventures of Pinocchio was in development, while it was also revealed that additional characters from other childhood stories would be revealed as a part of the Twisted Childhood Universe (TCU). Officially titled Pinocchio Unstrung, the first promotional concept art was released, with the plot stated to be revealed at a later time.[6][7] The film was written and directed by Rhys Frake-Waterfield.[8][1] In November 2024, Robert Englund was cast in a lead role, while Richard Brake was cast as Geppetto. Cameron Bell, Jessica Balmer, Jack Art Gray and Peter DeSouza-Feighoney also star.[3]
Principal photography took place by November 2024.[3] Filming was originally set to commence in September 2024 and October 2024.[8][9] The character of Pinocchio was a fully practical animatronic because Frake-Waterfield really wanted him to feel real.[10]
Release
Pinocchio Unstrung had its world premiere at the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival on 11 April 2026.[11][12] The film is scheduled to be theatrically release in North America on 24 July 2026, under Viva Pictures.[13] It was previously set to be released in 2025.[3][14] The film is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release by ITN Distribution.[10]
See also
References
- 1 2 3 "Pinocchio Unstrung". Bifff. Retrieved 13 April 2026.
- ↑ "Andrew Scott Bell is cooking up some soundtracks for the upcoming Poohniverse film "Pinocchio Unstrung" 🔪🩸". Instagram. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
- 1 2 3 4 Ritman, Alex (1 November 2024). "Pinocchio Slasher Film From Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey Team Casts Horror Vets Robert Englund and Richard Brake (Exclusive)". Variety. Archived from the original on 16 November 2024. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
- ↑ Melzer, James (1 November 2024). "Pinocchio Slasher Movie Adds a Pair of Horror Movie Legends to the Poohniverse". MovieWeb. Retrieved 31 March 2025.
- ↑ Squires, John (30 January 2024). "'Peter Pan's Neverland Nightmare': Exclusive Sneak Peek at the Upcoming Peter Pan Horror Movie". Bloody Disgusting. Archived from the original on 25 June 2024. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
- ↑ O'Rourke, Ryan (18 January 2024). "'Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 2' Director Offers First Peek at 'Pinocchio: Unstrung'". Collider. Archived from the original on 27 April 2024. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
- ↑ Bolt, Neil (18 January 2024). "Pinocchio Unstrung: First Details on Horror Movie From Blood and Honey Filmmakers". Yahoo!. Archived from the original on 11 March 2024. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
- 1 2 Ritman, Alex (16 May 2024). "Pinocchio Horror in 'Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey' Universe Unveils R-Rated Details: Skin Suits, High Kill Counts and Lots of Gore (Exclusive)". Variety. Archived from the original on 17 May 2024. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
- ↑ Demegillo, Manuel (24 August 2024). "Pinocchio Attacks in New Poster for Horror Parody From Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey Team". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
- 1 2 Ritma, Alex (2 March 2026). "'Pinocchio Unstrung' Trailer: Wooden Doll Turns Homicidal in Next IP Bludgeoning From 'Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey' Team (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 2 March 2026.
- ↑ ITN Distribution [@ITNFILMS] (8 March 2026). "ITN Original Movie Pinocchio Unstrung will have its World Premiere at the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFFF) in Belgium this April. So excited!" (Tweet). Retrieved 21 March 2026 – via X (formerly Twitter).
- ↑ "44th Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival Program" (PDF). Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
- ↑ DiVincenzo, Alex (8 May 2026). "Poohniverse Slasher 'Pinocchio Unstrung' Set for Summer Theatrical Release". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
- ↑ Squires, John (17 January 2024). "Public Domain Horror Universe Expanding With 'Pinocchio: Unstrung' [Exclusive First Look]". Bloody Disgusting. Archived from the original on 17 January 2024. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
