17 June 2020

Ewan McGregor to voice Jiminy Cricket in Netflix adaptation of Pinocchio

Ewan McGregor has confirmed that he will voice Jiminy Cricket in the Netflix remake of Pinocchio.

The 49 year-old Scottish actor confirmed the news in a Zoom interview with ACE Universe on Tuesday.

Directed by award-winning Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, the film will tell a darker tale of the the puppet boy than the 1940 Disney family favourite and is set for release in 2021.

Jiminy Cricket acts as Pinocchio's conscience as he strives to become a real boy (Disney fandom.com)

The Moulin Rouge star said: "I'm playing Jiminy Cricket in Guillermo del Toro's version of Pinocchio. 

"I had started working on [it] before I left for New York, so some of that is recorded."

He revealed that his part was mostly finished as it was only a voice recording but added that the animation would ‘take them a great long time to make’.

According to Netflix, the story will follow the darker side of Pinocchio’s tale as illustrated in a 2002 book by Gris Grimly.

Despite the dark turn of the family story, McGregor teased that there could still be some Disney-style magic in the new adaptation.

"There may or may not be a song that has to be recorded. 

"I'm not sure I'm at liberty to discuss that," he added.

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