Disney's live action Pinocchio trailer has Tom Hanks wishing upon a star

Finished with being the world’s most evil manager in Baz Luhrman’s Elvis, Tom Hanks is ready to step back into the role of being Hollywood’s lovable dad—or the sweet father of a come-to-life puppet. Paired with a thickly curled mustache and a jolly nature, Hanks will be playing Geppetto in Disney’s live-action adaptation of Pinocchio, which released a new full-length trailer today.

Directed by Oscar-winning director Robert Zemeckis (Back To The Future) with a screenplay co-written by Chris Weitz (Rogue One: A Stars Story), the trailer gives us a fuller look at the wooden “almost real boy.” He looks… pretty much like how he looked in the original 1940 animated Disney feature, so great job there!

In addition to many shots of the ill-fated Pleasure Island Pinocchio gets sent off too, we see a lot of Jiminy Cricket (voiced by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) running around worrying about Pinocchio’s well-being. Played throughout the trailer is Cynthia Erivo’s dazzling rendition of “When You Wish Upon A Star,” who plays the Blue Fairy in this version based on the Carlo Collodi tale.

Voicing the living puppet is Benjamin Evan Ainsworth (The Sandman), with the rest of the cast including Keegan-Michael Key (Keanu), Lorraine Bracco (Goodfellas), Luke Evans (Beauty And The Beast), Kyanne Lamaya, Jaquita Ta’Le (Castle), Giuseppe Battiston (Perfect Strangers), and Lewin Lloyd (The Aeronauts).

This film continues Zemeckis and Hanks teaming up together on projects, with the two first working together on the Oscar-winning Forrest Gump. Since then, the two have worked on such films as Cast Away and the slightly frightening mocap Christmas film The Polar Express.

Disney’s Pinocchio will also have to face off against another take on the Italian story, as Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio sets up a battle against the best wooden boy. Though, del Toro’s is a bit more dark, setting his version against the backdrop of 1930s Italy and the rise of fascism in the country.

With the plot staying basically in line with the original animated film, there won’t be many new surprises to see in this adaptation. Pinocchio follows Disney’s current trend of crafting live-action adaptations of their beloved animated classics, with Mulan, Aladdin, The Lion King, and Beauty And The Beast all given their own star-studded treatment.

While many people have questioned if any of this is necessary (especially if the plots remain similar and the filmmaking doesn’t offer anything new), the mouse company already has future live-actions plans for Snow White, Hercules, and The Little Mermaid starring Halle Bailey.

Pinocchio begins streaming September 8 on Disney+.