Guillermo del Toro to Direct PINOCCHIO for Netflix

Fresh off his Oscar win for "The Shape of Water," Guillermo del Toro will make his animated feature film directing debut with "Pinocchio," according to Variety. Del Toro, who will write and produce the film as well, has received the green light from Netflix to film the stop motion musical version of the classic children's tale about a puppet who wants to be a real live boy.

The film will be set in Italy during the 1930s, a particularly fraught historical moment and a time when Fascism was on the RISE and Benito Mussolini was consolidating control of the country. Production on Pinocchio will begin this fall.

del Toro said in a statement, "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. In our story, Pinocchio is an innocent soul with an uncaring father who gets lost in a world he cannot comprehend. He embarks on an extraordinary journey that leaves him with a deep understanding of his father and the real world. I've wanted to make this movie for as long as I can remember."

Del Toro will collaborate with the Jim Henson Company, the company behind "The Dark Crystal" and ShadowMachine, the creator of "Bojack Horseman."

The script will be co-written by Patrick McHale and Mark Gustafson will co-direct the movie. Guy Davis will serve as co-production designer. Mackinnon and Saunders, the team behind "Corpse Bride," will build the film's puppets.

Melissa Cobb, vice president of Kids and Family at Netflix, said in a statement, "Throughout his distinguished career, Guillermo has exhibited mastery in inspiring people through his magical worlds filled with unforgettable and magnificent characters, from the monsters in Pan's Labyrinth to the aquatic beast in The Shape of Water. We are incredibly excited to expand our relationship with Guillermo and we know that his deeply touching vision for bringing Pinocchio to life on Netflix will be embraced by audiences the world over."

Read the original article on Variety.