Disney dropped the teaser trailer for the new Pinocchio remake on May 31, 2022. It gave us the first look at the classic characters in the movie like Figaro, Geppetto, Jiminy Cricket, the Coachman, and the Blue Fairy. However, the trailer was utterly cryptic about the true star, the small wooden puppet who just wanted to be a real boy. We suspect they want to be hush about it to gradually show the adventure of the puppet instead of showing them outright.
Based on the trailer, it is clear that this reboot will be a new update of the original movie, unlike Guillermo del Toro’s version of Pinocchio, which appears to be much darker and more serious. However, we do not doubt that even his version of Pinocchio will do phenomenally, especially considering the movie features big names like Tilda Swinton, Cate Blanchett, Christoph Waltz, and John Turturro.
Disney released the official synopsis for the new Pinocchio remake along with the first teaser:
"Academy Award winner Robert Zemeckis directs this live-action retelling of the beloved tale of a wooden puppet who embarks on a thrilling adventure to become a real boy. Tom Hanks stars as Geppetto, the wood carver who builds and treats Pinocchio (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) as if he were his own son. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is Jiminy Cricket, who serves as Pinocchio’s guide as well as his 'conscience"; Academy Award nominee Cynthia Erivo is the Blue Fairy; Keegan-Michael Key is "Honest" John; Academy Award nominee Lorraine Bracco is Sofia the Seagull, a new character, and Luke Evans is The Coachman. Also in the cast are Kyanne Lamaya as Fabiana (and her marionette Sabina), Giuseppe Battiston as Señor Stromboli and Lewin Lloyd as Lampwick."
Based on this synopsis, the remake will likely be a rehashed storyline from the original animated Pinocchio film. This is not surprising as most live-action Disney remakes have been similar to the original movie, maybe just with a few changes.
Here’s a list of the major actors we will see in this Disney Pinocchio remake.
Benjamin Evan Ainsworth as Pinocchio
Starting with the wooden boy himself is Benjamin Evan Ainsworth. He will be voicing Pinocchio. Though Ainsworth is only 13 years old, he has already featured in several popular projects like The Haunting of Bly Manor and Flora and Ulysses. Though IMDb states that Ainsworth will only be lending his voice to Pinocchio, we couldn’t help but wonder whether we’ll be seeing him in the movie, too, considering Pinocchio does turn into a real boy eventually.
Tom Hanks as Geppetto
Next, we have Pinocchio’s creator and father, Geppetto, played by award-winning actor Tom Hanks. He is known for his exceptional work on critically acclaimed films such as Cast Away, Forrest Gump, and Sully. In this remake, Geppetto will be an expert craftsman looking for a family to call his own, which is why he builds the wooden puppet to keep him company. However, the puppet wasn’t enough, so he wished upon a star to make the puppet come to life. The Blue Fairy came down and made his wish come true.
Cynthia Erivo as The Blue Fairy
Cynthia Erivo will play the iconic fairy from Pinocchio. Erivo is a Broadway legend and is most famously known for her work in The Color Purple which won her a Tony. She became a big name in Hollywood after playing Harriet Tubman in the film Harriet. Other than being a bright wish-granting fairy, viewers are also going to fall in love with her voice, especially after her rendition of “When You Wish Upon a Star” was teased in the trailer.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Jiminy Cricket
Joseph Gordon-Levitt will be lending his voice to Jiminy Cricket, the adorable green sidekick. Gordon-Levitt is known for his work in famous films like 500 Days of Summer, 10 Things I Hate About You, and as Robin in The Dark Knight Rises. Jiminy Cricket plays the conscience of the young boy, just like in the original animated film.
Luke Evans as The Coachman
Every Disney movie needs a villain, and in Pinocchio, we will see The Coachman play the role of the villain who lures children to “Treasure Island” only to turn them into donkeys and sell them. Luke Evans will play the Coachman. Interestingly, this isn’t the first Disney movie where Evans plays a villain. We last saw him play the evil Gaston in Disney’s live-action Beauty and the Beast reboot.
Keegan-Michael Key as Honest John
The other villain in Pinocchio will be voiced by actor and comedian Keegan-Michael Key. Key is most famously known for his work on Key and Peele and the recent Schmigadoon on Apple TV+. Honest John is a sly fox who steals and swindles people out of their money. He is the one who gets Pinocchio into Stromboli’s puppet house in the hope of getting the cash prize for selling the perfect puppet.
As reported by Deadline, Disney’s Pinocchio will release on the streaming service on September 8, 2022.