Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio is making a heart-wrenching change to its main character's origin story. The film features a star-studded voice cast, including Ewan McGregor as Sebastian J. Cricket, The World's End's David Bradley as Gepetto, and performances from Stranger Things star Finn Wolfhard, Cate Blanchett, Tilda Swinton, Christoph Waltz, John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson, and Ron Perlman. Newcomer Gregory Mann will voice the leading wooden boy. Pinocchio is set to release in late 2022 on Netflix.

Del Toro's film, co-directed by animator Mark Gustafson, will be a darker retelling of the classic tale. Pinocchio's trailer reveals McGregor as a stop-motion Mr. Cricket, introducing the story to the audience as different from the tale they might think they know. One key component in this regard is del Toro's choice to set the film against the backdrop of Mussolini's fascist Italy. While just how prominent this setting will remain to be seen, but sets del Toro's version of Pinocchio apart from previous tellings.

Related: Everything We Know About Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio

According to Vanity Fair, a new backstory for Pinocchio has been revealed. In del Toro's version, the wood from which Pinocchio is carved comes from the tree that sprung from the grave of Carlo, the son of Geppetto, Pinocchio's creator. Geppetto's son tragically died a few years before, and according to del Toro, Geppetto "begs for another chance at being a father" through the creation of Pinocchio. The director elaborates on the backstory:

“He begs for another chance at being a father, but he doesn’t recognize that the essence of his own child comes back in the form of this indomitable boy. The main conflict within Geppetto and Pinocchio is that Geppetto wanted Carlo, who was a very well-behaved, very docile kid, and he doesn’t quite get Pinocchio, who is rowdy and wild and exuberant.”

Guillermo Del Toro Pinocchio first look on the shelf

This change gives an insight into the more emotionally potent flare of Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio compared to earlier renditions. While setting Pinocchio in fascist Italy is certainly one step towards the more serious side of the tale, this new element reveals an intimately personal tragedy within the classic children's story. While Pinocchio may still be "rowdy and wild and exuberant," thus still offering a jubilant childhood flare, he is also constructed from a place of profound grief. While the poignancy of this backstory may be lost on some children who enjoy the animated feature this year, the change may make del Toro's Pinocchio more resonant with an adult audience.

The darker roots for Pinocchio should not be a shocking turn for a del Toro-helmed Pinocchio. While he tackles a familiar non-human subject here, del Toro's work is known for its challenging and horrifying fantasy subjects, often amidst times of war / global conflicts, such as in Pan's Labyrinth and The Shape of Water. Given this background and other elements del Toro has already proposed for the Pinocchio film, his retelling is likely to be a far more thought-provoking rendition of the tale than different versions. Viewers shall see for themselves as more news and trailers come out about Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio.

More: Everything We Know About Disney+'s Live-Action Pinocchio

Source: Vanity Fair