This Thursday 8 The classic “Pinocchio” will arrive on the Disney+ platform from September, a live-action CGI movie that will have the appeal of starring Oscar winners Tom Hanks and Robert Zemeckis.

Zemeckis will have the enormous responsibility of bringing the endearing Disney character to life, while Hanks will be Gepetto, the carpenter who creates Pinocchio and treats him like his own son.

Benjamin Evan Ainsworth is the actor who provides his voice to the character while Joseph Gordon-Levitt is Jiminy Cricket, who officiates as guide and conscience of Pinocchio. The cast is completed by Cynthia Erivo (Blue fairy), Keegan-Michael Key (the honest john), Lorraine Bracco (sofia the seagull, a new character) y Luke Evans (The Coachman).

As for Hanks and Zemeckis, will join forces for the fourth time, after their work on "Forrest Gump" which earned them both an Oscar, “Cast Away” and “The Polar Express”.

Within that context, when Tom Hanks found out Zemeckis was considering directing a live-action version of Pinocchio, did not hesitate to contact him and express his desire to embody Gepetto, the carpenter who builds the adorable wooden puppet. Zemeckis quickly accepted the actor's proposal..

For both, but nevertheless, the project involved much more than retelling an endearing story. “Bob is one of those filmmakers who can't do something that's already been done.. He takes a project and plays with the creative process behind it.. He always challenges me with a task that is completely new within the filmmaking process.. These great classics not only have a chance to be updated, but to reflect different times”, explica Hanks.

Zemeckis adds: “'Pinocchio’ is one of the most - if not the most - animated films- beautiful thing that has been done. But now, since digital cinema emerged, the puppet could be much more three-dimensional. And although I was worried about standing on sacred ground, I thought it was a project worth doing”.

The new version of Gepetto created by Zemeckis and Hanks retains some iconic traits of the original character, like his emblematic mustache and his silver hair, that make it instantly recognizable to audiences who grew up with the animated film.

But nevertheless, the actor and director talked extensively about how to bring the character into the 21st century and agreed that the new film should delve into the emotional aspects of Gepetto. "You can't just do a live-action version of what the animated movie was.. has to be deeper. It has to have more emotional baggage. So, from the beginning, Gepetto is cooking in his own juice, So to speak, and it is not a happy juice”, comments Hanks.

That "juice" to which the actor refers has to do with the loneliness of the character and the fears he faces as a “Pinocchio's father. “Bob and I talked about the fact that Gepetto is a happy man, but who has suffered loss in his life. The happiness of being alive has been lost, to have a family. been alone, serving others and delighting people with their crafts for two and a half decades. Gepetto's longing is to be part of something bigger than himself., part of a family, there was his key, points out the actor.

For Hanks, working with Zemeckis is always a "fabulous challenge" that involves being willing to take on anything. In a movie that features several computer generated characters, The experienced actor found himself in terrain he had never traveled before.. “Bob always tells you: ‘Okey, This is what you should imagine.. And what you must imagine is so complex that it is a great challenge for the acting and interpretive process”, confiesa Hanks, and exemplifies: "In a moment, I had to put a fish on my head, a cat, a cricket and a wooden boy. I had to do it all, and sometimes with the Blue Fairy too. Al second or third day, “My brain was exhausted.”.

Zemeckis thus sums up the experience of working with Hanks: “Tom is the best living actor in the movie business and it's always fun to see him bring a character to life.. His interpretation of Gepetto is perfect: wonderful and very warm. Tom can do anything. He brought more to the role than I ever could have imagined.".

The result of that extraordinary work, that in a week is coming to Disney +, marks a new milestone in the extraordinary history of creative collaboration between Zemeckis and Hanks. A 28 years of having shared a set for the first time, the duo prepares to captivate audiences around the world once again.