Robert Englund, known for his iconic horror roles, is receiving positive reviews for his new film, Pinocchio Unstrung. It’s earned a perfect score on some platforms, making it the first movie in the Twisted Childhood Universe to achieve that distinction before its release in theaters.
The new movie, Pinocchio Unstrung, will be released in theaters on July 24th and is receiving rave reviews. It currently has a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which is especially noteworthy considering past films in the Twisted Childhood Universe have often faced criticism. Sean Boelman of FandomWire called it “easily the best entry in the Twisted Childhood Universe yet, and frankly, far better than it has any right to be.”
Pinocchio Unstrung Gets Praise for Its Dark Humor and Practical Effects
In a review for Bloody Disgusting, Daniel Kurland called Pinocchio Unstrung a surprisingly fun horror movie. He praised the film’s use of classic practical effects and animatronics, saying director Rhys Frake-Wakefield created a creepy new take on the Pinocchio story that avoids being overly complicated.
Avi Offer, a film critic for NYC Movie Guru, called this horror movie “a wildly entertaining, bold, and gory slice of horror” that will likely become a cult favorite. He added it’s one of the most terrifying, captivating, and darkly humorous horror films he’s seen since Child’s Play.
Meredith Jill Brown from Upcoming Horror Movies says that Pinocchio Unstrung beautifully captures the feelings of life, love, and desire, even within the context of a disturbing and fantastical world.
Robert Englund, famous for his role in the Nightmare on Elm Street films, lends his voice to the character of the Cricket, a new take on Jiminy Cricket in this movie. Another horror veteran, Richard Brake (known from 3 from Hell and Game of Thrones), plays Geppetto. Jude-Evan Lloyd provides the voice for Pinocchio. The film, Pinocchio Unstrung, was written and directed by Rhys Frake-Waterfield, who also created the horror films Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey.
Pinocchio Unstrung Reimagines the Iconic Story
This horror film offers a dark new take on the classic story of Pinocchio, originally written by Carlo Collodi in 1883 and famously made into a Disney animated movie in 1940. Instead of creating Pinocchio, Geppetto introduces his grandson, James, to the magical doll. When James shows Pinocchio the world, the wooden puppet embarks on a violent quest to destroy everything he deems evil. Critics have highlighted the film’s use of practical effects and its abundance of blood and gore, making it likely to appeal to fans of the horror genre.
The ‘Twisted Childhood Universe’ began in 2023 with the release of Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey. While critics weren’t kind, the horror-themed take on the beloved characters proved to be a financial hit, leading to a sequel in 2024 and inspiring similar horror versions of other classic children’s tales, like 2025’s Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare and Bambi: The Reckoning. Plans are in the works to combine all these films under a single title: Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble.
Pinocchio Unstrung will be on July 24, 2026.
2026-07-23 00:19