Horror fans are quite familiar with Robert Englund and his role as Freddy Krueger in A Nightmare on Elm Street and its sequels. Of course, Englund has appeared in numerous horror films since, including Urban Legend, Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon, and even the fourth season of Stranger Things. Now Robert Englund will be starring as Jiminy Cricket in the upcoming horror movie Pinocchio: Unstrung.
The twisted take on the classic Pinocchio tale is the next chapter in the Twisted Childhood Universe – nicknamed the “Poohniverse” – established in Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey. The franchise has already grown to include Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 2, Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare, and Bambi: The Reckoning. Now Pinocchio: Unstrung aims to insert the titular character into the mix with Englund as his conscience.
Naturally, however, this isn’t the good-hearted conscience that longtime Pinocchio fans have become accustomed to. In fact, it looks like the cricket was influenced himself by none other than Freddy Krueger, as he bears a strong resemblance to Englund’s signature horror villain. Fans will certainly be interested in seeing what role he serves, then, in the upcoming horror movie.
Here’s the first look at Robert Englund as Jiminy Cricket in Pinocchio: Unstrung:
First look at Jiminy Cricket in the ‘PINOCCHIO’ horror movie, set in the Poohniverse.
The character is voiced by Robert Englund pic.twitter.com/m1bcmjh6S0
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) September 16, 2025
Blood and Honey director Rhys Frake-Waterfield returned to helm this new take on Carlo Collodi’s The Adventures of Pinocchio. Other cast members include Richard Brake, Cameron Bell, Jessica Balmer, Jack Art Gray, and Peter DeSouza-Feighoney.
A release date for Pinocchio: Unstrung has yet to be released. However, it’s expected to be released in theaters sometime next year in 2026. Stay tuned to ScreenGeek for any additional updates regarding the project as we approach that timeline. For now, it’s quite interesting to see how Robert Englund’s character will be portrayed in the latest film tied to Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey.