Pinocchio Unstrung
2026 film by Rhys Frake-Waterfield
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.
by Carlo Collodi
- Rhys Frake-Waterfield
- Scott Chambers
| Pinocchio Unstrung | |
|---|---|
Teaser poster | |
| Directed by | Rhys Frake-Waterfield |
| Screenplay by | Rhys Frake-Waterfield[1] |
| Based on | The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi |
| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Vince Knight |
| Music by | Andrew Scott Bell[2] |
Production company | Jagged Edge Productions |
| Distributed by | ITN Distribution |
Release date |
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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 by ITN Distribution.
Premise
Cast
- Robert Englund as the voice of the Cricket[4]
- Richard Brake as Geppetto
- Cameron Bell as James
- Jessica Balmer
- Jack Art Gray
- 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]
