Constantine Star Joins Horror Movie Pinocchio: Carved From Darkness

Peter Stormare is playing Geppetto in new horror film.

By Jamie Jirak

The Adventures of Pinocchio was created by Italian author Carlo Collodi and was turned into a novel in 1883. There have been many iterations of Pinocchio over the years ranging from Disney's 1940 animated classic to Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio, which won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature last year. There have also been various live-action versions of the tale over the years, and another is on the way... with a new twist. Pinocchio: Carved From Darkness is an upcoming horror film from Oceana Studios (Terrifier 2) that is set to be sold at the Cannes Film Market. 

According to a new report from Variety, the film is set to be directed by Joona Tena (Superfurball) and written by Paulie Siegel (Jeremiah). You can read a description of the project here: "This dark turn on Carlo Collodi's classic 1883 tale sees woodcarver Geppetto carve a puppet resembling his recently deceased son from a of block of wood discarded at a crime scene and cursed by Agatha, the priestess of a dark cult. As Pinocchio turns into a vengeful killer, a teen named Charlie and his mother Nancy arrive in the town looking for a fresh start. Meanwhile, a detective named Georgina starts investigating Agatha's crimes. The characters intertwine with some tragic consequences."

The film is set to star Peter Stormare (Constantine) as Geppetto; Vicki Berlin (Triangle of Sadness) as Nancy, the semi-alcoholic mother of teenager Charlie; and Daniel Nuta (Watcher) as Ronnie, a local gangster who becomes involved in Charlie's high school circle.

"We're using the premise of the classic tale to make a dark modern horror film, but one with poignancy and empathy as our Pinocchio is carved from evil but nurtured with affection," Tena explained. "It will be a gripping cinematic journey through fear while dealing with themes of bereavement and broken family ties."

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"We're thrilled to tell a story that has entertained people around the world for well over a century," Danny Sawaf, CEO of Oceana Studios, added. "Ours is set in a modern world while subverting the audiences' expectations given the character has personified good since its inception. The combination of CG and live action will be surreal and audiences are going to be riveted."

Pinocchio: Carved From Darkness is expected to go into production next year. Stay tuned for more updates about upcoming horror films. 

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