Move over, Geppetto—there’s a new puppet master in town, and he’s trading in the fairy dust for a bucket of blood.
The legendary Todd Masters, founder of MastersFX and one of the most revered names in practical special effects, is back to turn another childhood icon into pure nightmare fuel. His latest creation? A deeply unsettling, creepy-as-hell incarnation of everyone’s favorite wooden boy for Pinocchio: Unstrung.
The film marks the latest gory entry in the Twisted Childhood Universe—the very same cinematic playground that brought us the viral slasher hits Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 1 and 2. Behind the camera, director Rhys Frake-Waterfield and producer Scott Chambers of Jagged Edge Productions (interview) return to ensure your childhood memories stay firmly in the wood chipper.
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A Killer Cast of Horror Icons
To bring this twisted marionette tale to life, the production pulled out some major genre heavyweights. Horror icon Robert Englund, Freddy Krueger himself, lends his legendary voice to the “sinister Cricket.” Forget Jiminy; this particular bug is absolutely not your conscience.
Then, you’ve got Richard Brake fresh off being terrifying in The Strangers: Chapter 1 and Mayor of Kingstown. Brake steps into the workshop as a distinctly dark, unhinged Geppetto.
Todd Masters: The Practical FX Legend
If the practical gore in Pinocchio: Unstrung looks exceptionally tactile, that’s because Masters has decades of experience manipulating flesh, bone, and wood. His sprawling resume is a literal checklist of modern cult classics and blockbuster horror franchises. He brought Chucky to life for the remake. The man knows his creature features. He created the gooey, parasitic chaos of James Gunn’s Slither and the brilliant, satirical undead of the zom-com Fido. It doesn’t end there. His massive portfolio also includes Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight and Final Destination: Bloodlines.
Todd Masters on Building a Killer Puppet
I had the chance to sit down with Masters to dissect the mechanics, the madness, and the practical wizardry required to bring Pinocchio: Unstrung’s brutal puppet to life. We also discuss his work and how he became the FX Master that he is.
Be sure to check Maters’ killer work on Pinocchio: Unstrung when it hits theaters on July 24, 2026. Follow this incredibly talented artist on Instagram to stay up to date on his projects.
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