Disney released a teasing trailer for the live-action version of Pinocchio on 31 May 2022. The animated original was released decades ago in 1940 and shared the story of a puppet who came to life because of the dedication of his wood-making father, Geppetto.
Not much has been said about the upcoming film besides the big-name cast that signed for the project, which includes Tom Hanks (Geppetto), Benjamin Evan Ainsworth (Pinocchio), Joseph Gordon-Levit (Jiminy Cricket), and Keegan-Michael Key (John Worthington Foulfellow).
The interesting trailer shed some light on what fans can expect and we’ve enlisted our observations below. First, check out the teaser trailer:
1) A swift glance at the film’s villains
Disney has its fair share of powerful and classic villains and Pinocchio has many. In the original, Pinocchio runs into a few bad eggs that put his conscience to test. From Lampwick to Stromboli, there were plenty of people who took advantage of Pinocchio.
In the trailer, it was revealed that the fox, Honest John, would be a part of the film. In a blink-and-miss moment, Honest John was seen being hit on the head in the village. Also making an appearance appeared to be Stromboli. Stromboli was the villain who used Pinocchio to make money, much to the expense of Pinocchio.
2) Cynthia Erivo plays the unconventional blue fairy
The blue fairy was hands down one of the best fairies in any Disney movie. Though her physical appearance in the film was small, it was because of her that Pinocchio was able to view life as a real boy.
The live-action trailer showed that the blue fairy is a part of the magic and the character is played by actress/singer Cynthia Erivo.
3) Cleo and Figaro make a comeback
There are multiple cat companions in Disney movies and Figaro is one of them. Figaro was Geppetto’s black and white kitten who was quite protective of his owner and didn’t like messing around or being ignored. Figaro had a life of his own and fans loved how his adorable character was drawn.
Along with Figaro was Geppetto’s goldfish, Cleo. As a fish, Cleo was always in her bowl but that didn’t stop Geppetto from taking her places or asking for her opinion. The two pets were side characters in the original and are happily spotted in the trailer.
4) The film is going to be full of action
Even as an animated movie in the ’40s, Pinocchio was packed with action. The tale of Pinocchio is quite dark but Disney added a positive, adventurous spin to its movies. Pinocchio went through a lot while on his mission to learn more about being a human and it brought viewers on a ride.
Similarly, the trailer revealed that the action would continue. From Pinocchio going to school to a fiery seagull to the whale that interferes with Gepetto; the live-action film will have no shortage of adventurous action.
5) Pinocchio isn’t shown
Even though the movie is called Pinocchio, who is also the star of the film, he isn’t shown in the trailer until the very end. And even in his brief appearance, one can only see Pinocchio’s side profile as the blue fairy brings him to life.
Unlike the blue fairy, Pinocchio is animated while she and Geppetto are real actors. Benjamin Evan Ainsworth voices Pinocchio.
6) You get a glimpse of the well-loved Jiminy Cricket
It wouldn’t be a Disney movie without a beloved sidekick. For Pinocchio, his sidekick was a protective cricket named Jiminy.
When the blue fairy gave Pinocchio a conscience and told him she’d help make him a real boy once he learned the ins and outs of doing the right thing as a human, she asked Jiminy to look after Pinocchio and lead him in the right direction. The trailer showed Jiminy with his classic tophat, lingering around Geppetto’s home. With Joseph Gordon-Levit voicing Jiminy, seeing his animated form was an exciting reveal!
7) Geppetto’s place of work and home are quite similar to the animated version
Pinocchio took place in a small, quaint Italian town. Geppetto lived modestly in a home that was also his workshop, where he sold marionettes, music boxes, clocks and other classic wood items to the town.
Adorably, the live-action trailer had the same charming character that the animated version had. From the dim lighting to the nicknacks around the house, the live-action version looked quite similar to the original animated movie.
~ Pinocchio will premiere on Disney+ worldwide on 8 September 2022.