R-Rated PINOCCHIO: UNSTRUNG Trailer Turns the Classic Puppet Into a Flesh-Carving Nightmare
If you thought the recent wave of twisted fairy tale horror movies had already pushed things as far as they could go, Pinocchio: Unstrung is here to prove otherwise.
The latest trailer for the upcoming R-rated horror film has arrived, and it transforms Carlo Collodi’s beloved wooden puppet into something disturbing.
The blood-soaked reimagining comes from Jagged Edge Productions, the studio responsible for Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey, and it looks like they’re taking another childhood icon straight into nightmare territory.
This version of Pinocchio isn’t dreaming about adventure or learning life lessons. Instead, he’s a murderous creation stalking the halls of an elite London boarding school, driven by an obsession to become a real boy no matter how much blood has to be spilled along the way.
Directed by Rhys Frake-Waterfield, Pinocchio Unstrung relocates the classic story to a prestigious London prep school and embraces its horror premise with complete conviction.
While plenty of familiar childhood characters have been given horror makeovers recently, this film appears committed to treating its concept like a full-fledged slasher.
One of the biggest highlights showcased in the trailer is the creature work. Emmy-winning effects artist Todd Masters supervised the film’s practical animatronics, creating a Pinocchio that moves with an unsettling, almost broken physicality.
Every awkward twitch and jerky movement makes the character feel increasingly unnatural. Combined with polished visual effects and some brutally graphic kill sequences, the result is a horror movie that looks determined to make audiences squirm.
The official synopsis outlines: “Pinocchio Unstrung unfolds inside an elite London prep school. Influenced by a sinister Cricket (Robert Englund) and created by Geppetto (Richard Brake), Pinocchio launches a violent crusade to carve himself into a real boy like his brother James, one piece at a time.”
The cast includes Robert Englund as the sinister Cricket, Richard Brake as Geppetto, Cameron Bell as James, and Jessica Balmer.
Pinocchio Unstrung looks ready to deliver a wild horror film filled with practical creature effects, excessive gore, and a wildly twisted spin on a familiar story.
Pinocchio Unstrung arrives in theaters on July 24, 2026. Check out the grotesque new trailer and let us know if this nightmare-fueled take on Pinocchio is something you'll be watching.