You already survived Winnie-the-Pooh with a chainsaw. You made it through Bambi with a grudge. Now brace yourself — because Pinocchio: Unstrung is here, and the puppet wants to be a real boy badly enough to tear apart anyone who gets in his way.
The first trailer for the fifth entry in the Twisted Childhood Universe (TCU) dropped on March 2, 2026, and it’s every bit as gory, deranged, and disturbingly creative as fans of the franchise have come to expect.
Table of Contents
Pinocchio: Unstrung — Overview
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Director / Writer | Rhys Frake-Waterfield |
| Producer | Scott Jeffrey |
| Studio | Jagged Edge Productions |
| Distribution | ITN Distribution |
| TCU Entry No. | 5th (Twisted Childhood Universe) |
| Pinocchio (Voice) | Jude Evan Lloyd |
| Geppetto | Richard Brake |
| Jiminy Cricket (Voice) | Robert Englund |
| Special Effects | Todd Masters (Emmy winner, MastersFX) |
| Release Date | 2026 (Worldwide theatrical, TBC) |
What’s the Plot?
Geppetto (Richard Brake) introduces his young grandson James to a magical wooden doll named Pinocchio. What begins as an innocent friendship darkens fast when Pinocchio, guided by a sinister version of Jiminy Cricket (voiced by Freddy Krueger icon Robert Englund), realises that the only thing standing between him and being a real human boy is… organs. Lots of them.
Armed with a razor-sharp wooden nose and zero moral compass, Pinocchio embarks on a brutal killing spree — impaling, skinning, and collecting body parts in his horrifying quest for humanity. It’s a twisted coming-of-age story told entirely from the puppet’s warped perspective, and it’s far more unsettling than it sounds.
The Practical Puppet That Makes It Terrifying
One of the most remarkable things about Pinocchio: Unstrung is that the title character is a fully practical animatronic — built by Emmy-winning special effects legend Todd Masters (Tales from the Crypt, Slither). No digital trickery. No CGI puppet. Pinocchio is physically on set, which gives every scene a genuinely uncanny, skin-crawling quality that computer effects simply can’t replicate.
Director Frake-Waterfield wanted the creation to feel tactile and real — and based on the trailer, it absolutely does.
Where Does It Fit in the Poohniverse?
The Twisted Childhood Universe started with Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey (2023) — a micro-budget horror film that grossed over $7 million on a sub-$100K budget, becoming one of the most profitable independent horror films in years. Since then, the franchise has expanded to include Blood and Honey 2, Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare, and Bambi: The Reckoning.
Pinocchio: Unstrung is the fifth entry, and it’s clearly the most ambitious yet — with the biggest cast names attached and the most sophisticated practical effects to date. After this, Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 3 enters production, with the ultimate crossover event — Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble — also deep in development. Think The Avengers, but everyone is a murderous fairytale character.
For more on the biggest horror releases and franchise news of 2026, check out our complete horror movie release guide for 2026 and our best upcoming thriller and horror films to watch this year.
FAQs
Q: Who plays Jiminy Cricket in Pinocchio: Unstrung?
Horror legend Robert Englund — best known as Freddy Krueger from the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise — voices a sinister, murderous version of Jiminy Cricket in the film.
Q: Is Pinocchio: Unstrung connected to Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey?
Yes — it’s the fifth entry in the Twisted Childhood Universe (TCU), the same franchise created by director Rhys Frake-Waterfield and producer Scott Jeffrey, building toward the crossover film Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble.
