An all-star cast for Netflix's take on Pinocchio has been announced.
The streaming service announced on Wednesday that newcomer Gregory Mann will voice the title role in the stop-motion animated musical. Rounding out the main roles are Ewan McGregor as Jiminy Cricket and David Bradley, who played Argus Filch in the Harry Potter franchise, as Geppetto. Oscar winner Guillermo del Toro will direct and produce the film.
“After years of pursuing this dream project, I found my perfect partner in Netflix," del Toro said in a statement. “We have spent a long time curating a remarkable cast and crew and have been blessed by continuous support from Netflix to quietly and carefully soldier on, barely missing a beat."
Other cast members include Oscar winners Christoph Waltz, Tilda Swinton and Cate Blanchett. Finn Wolfhard, John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson and Golden Globe winner Ron Perlman will also have roles in the film.
"Drawing on the classic Carlo Collodi tale, this stop-motion musical follows the extraordinary journey of a wooden boy magically brought to life by a father's wish," Netflix says of the movie. "Set during the rise of Fascism in Mussolini's Italy, del Toro's Pinocchio is a story of love and disobedience as Pinocchio struggles to live up to his father's expectations."
Principal photography for the project began in the US last autumn, and production continued uninterrupted during the pandemic, says Netflix.
While the film is based on the 1883 Italian children's novel The Adventures of Pinocchio by Collodi, the version most familiar to wider audiences will be Disney's 1940 animation. The beloved film has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 100 per cent, a rare perfect on the site.
Additional reporting from Associated Press
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
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Louis Tomlinson
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Miss Granny
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Europe wide
Some of French groups are threatening Friday to continue their journey to Brussels, the capital of Belgium and the European Union, and to meet up with drivers from other countries on Monday.
Belgian authorities joined French police in banning the threatened blockade. A similar lorry cavalcade was planned for Friday in Vienna but cancelled after authorities prohibited it.
Getting there
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Tbilisi from Dh1,025 return including taxes
Bullet%20Train
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