Guillermo del Toro Prepping 3D Stop-Motion 'Pinocchio' (Jonathan Taylor Thomas Yet to Commit)

This week's issue of Entertainment Weekly had a first look at director Guillermo del Toro's upcoming Pinocchio film. Del Toro plans to start working on the 3D stop-motion film after he completes Pacific Rim, his giant monster movie.

Judging by the project's concept art — which shows the woodcarver Geppetto sculpting his wooden "son" and Pinocchio heading for a dip in the sea with one of puppet-theater owner Mangiafoco's monkeys — the Jim Henson Company-produced movie will have a very different look from the Disney interpretation.

If there's one guy who knows how to create fantastic, non-CGI creatures, it's del Toro. Looks what he did with Pan's Labyrinth and Hellboy 2. The man is a master at this kind of thing. Having del Toro team up with the Jim Henson Company is a perfect marriage.

No voice cast has been announced at this point, but based on his previous experience playing Pinocchio, I would assume that Jonathan Taylor Thomas would be high on del Toro's list of candidates, right? I mean, good old JTT seems to have a pretty open schedule right now. Let's get this casting rumor going.