The 3D stop motion-animated re-imagining of Pinocchio was something that was always on our radar because Guillermo del Toro was on board as a co-director (with Michael Gustafson). We didn’t track the project’s every move, but we brought you the major updates. And this morning, we have some bad news.
Writer Gris Grimly took to Twitter to post a brief progress report (his tweets appear to have been removed, but the fellas at Bleeding Cool had ’em).
The first read: “Short to the point update on Pinocchio for those inquiring: It appears that this is not the right time for such a superior-adventurous flick.”
But why?
In response to one of his followers, Grimly cited Frankenweenie as one reason for Pinocchio’s potential demise. “There are people like us out there. But they look at numbers. Frankenweenie was a box office failure to them.”
By “them,” I’m presuming he means the producers (Frankenweenie‘s Allison Abbate was executive producing) and/or The Jim Henson Company (the latter was overseeing the production). Frankenweenie took home $67 million worldwide; $35.2 million of that was made domestically.
Knowing Del Toro, I’m sure he’ll keep at it and try to get this made – if not at Henson, then elsewhere. But as Grimly stated, now is not the time…
Update: Grimly tells Bleeding Cool:
“Im writing to clear up the rumor that has gotten started. It all started with misconstrued information that I passed along through my networks. But it has come to my knowledge that Pinocchio is indeed still kicking with interest from the studios. Although I thought it was going to lay quiet for a little while, I never thought it would be canceled. Its too good.”
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