Why Disney's 2022 Pinocchio remake struggled to capture the magic of the original

Entertainment · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Robert Zemeckis's live-action reimagining of the 1940 classic arrived with high expectations and a star-studded cast, yet it faced harsh critical reception. Despite its visual ambition and technical polish, the film struggled to justify its existence, ultimately becoming one of the lowest-rated entries in Disney's modern live-action catalog.

The journey to bring Pinocchio to life in live-action was a decades-long endeavor. Development first began in 1985, when Jim Henson and director Steve Barron pitched the concept to Disney, only to be rejected. It wasn't until April 2015 that Disney officially announced the project. The production saw significant turnover, with multiple writers and directors—including Sam Mendes and Paul King—attached before Robert Zemeckis was confirmed in January 2020. Tom Hanks, who had previously collaborated with Zemeckis on films like Forrest Gump and Cast Away, eventually signed on to play the woodcarver Geppetto.

Released on Disney+ in September 2022, the film utilized advanced CGI and visual effects to blend live-action performances with digital animation. The story largely mirrors the 1940 original, following the wooden puppet's quest to become a real boy, guided by his conscience, Jiminy Cricket. However, the production team introduced new songs composed by Alan Silvestri and Glen Ballard, and added new characters like Sofia the Seagull. Despite these updates, critics frequently noted that the film felt 'soulless' and lacked the emotional resonance of its predecessor.

The critical response was overwhelmingly negative. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 27% approval rating, with many reviewers arguing that the remake failed to improve upon the original animation in any meaningful way. Some critics pointed to a perceived lack of chemistry between the characters, while others felt the script's additions—such as providing Geppetto with a dead wife to explain his grief—undermined the story's core themes. By 2025, several outlets, including TheWrap and Collider, ranked it among the worst of Disney's live-action remakes, citing unconvincing visual effects and a narrative that felt like an empty exercise in technical capability rather than a heartfelt retelling.

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