Guillermo del Toro to direct an animated movie

Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro of 'Shape of Water' fame is set to direct a stop-motion animated movie 'Pinocchio'.

Toro will write, direct and produce it, for streaming giant Netflix, reported The Hollywood Reporter.

The filmmaker has been a creative consultant cum executive producer for animated movies like 'Megamind', 'Puss in Boots' and 'Rise of the Guardians' to name a few.

'Pinocchio' is a musical which is set during Benito Mussolini's fascist rule in Italy.

In a statement, Toro also admitted that he has always been influenced by animated movies.

"No art form has influenced my life and my work more than animation and no single character in history has had as deep of a personal connection to me as Pinocchio," said del Toro in a statement.

"In our story, Pinocchio is an innocent soul with an uncaring father who gets lost in a world he cannot comprehend. He embarks on an extraordinary journey that leaves him with a deep understanding of his father and the real world. I've wanted to make this movie for as long as I can remember."

The shooting will take place this autumn. The puppets to be used in the film will be built by Mackinnon and Saunders, known for their work in another animated film 'Corpse Bride'.

Del Toro in the statement even thanked Netflix for the "opportunity of a lifetime". The filmmaker has been trying to get this movie rolling since early 2000s.