Guillermo del Toro to direct 'Pinocchio' for Netflix

Oscar-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro will write, direct and produce a new adaptation of "Pinocchio" for Netflix.

The Mexico-born filmmaker has acted as a creative consultant and executive producer over the years on movies such as "Megamind", "Puss in Boots" and "Rise of the Guardians" and as a producer on "Book of Life", but he has never helmed one.

The story of "Pinocchio" will be told as a stop-motion musical and set during the rise of fascism in Italy under Mussolini, reports hollywoodreporter.com.

"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," del Toro said 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."

Patrick McHale is co-writing the script with del Toro. Mark Gustafson will co-direct.

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