If You Love ‘Pinocchio: Unstrung’, You Have To Watch This Controversial Slasher Sequel
Pinocchio: Unstrung (2026) takes the classic children's story and gives it a violent new coat of paint. Set in Jagged Edge Productions' Twisted Childhood Universe, the fifth film in the series injects some innocent humor into a character people love, even as he's killing people.
The violence of Pinocchio: Unstrung evokes a type of dark humor that's not often seen in horror but calls back to one of the most divisive and controversial slasher films of all time, Seed of Chucky (2004). Ironically, the fifth entry in the Child's Play franchise, the introduction of Chucky's child, Glen/Glenda, delivers a story that's perfect to watch after Pinocchio: Unstrung. Check it out on Prime Video, Apple TV, and more!
How Similar Are ‘Pinocchio: Unstrung’ and ‘Seed of Chucky’?
Pinocchio: Unstrung retells the classic story as Geppetto, trying to bring back the dead friend of his grandson, finds a way to do that, creating a living wooden puppet in Pinocchio. He's a good person at heart, but not afraid to kill, and even enjoys it, to protect his friends.
Pinocchio is brutal and not afraid to crack a few jokes in the process, but the film's dry humor and violence to the point of absurdity aren't unlike what's shown in Seed of Chucky. In that sequel, Glen and Glenda share the same body, where Glen is a sweet person who doesn't want to kill, and Glenda loves murder and cracking jokes just like Chucky.
Through their actions, we get murders and quips reminiscent of Pinocchio, with some funny but eye-roll-inducing humor, as well as the type of absurd violence that makes you want to laugh. Then, of course, there's the magic that brings these characters to life and the fact that they share space with slasher icons; in this instance, it's Chucky and Robert Englund as Cricket.
What Made ‘Seed of Chucky’ So Controversial?
When Seed of Chucky hit theaters, the last thing it was for audiences was beloved. If anything, it still stands as one of, if not the worst, entries in the whole franchise. But the reason for this is incredibly interesting because it came during a genre shift for the character and the franchise.
When Child's Play (1988) hit theaters, it was very much a horror film. In Seed of Chucky, the film leaned more into humor, and the camp was beyond over-the-top. No one cared for the random jokes, irreverent plotlines, and body-swapping, and, unfortunately, a lot of this was tied to Glen. But as time progressed, the series found its footing again and eventually found a balance between humor and horror.
Seed of Chucky's meta commentary on Hollywood was also strange, as it featured a body-swapping plot point with Jennifer Tilly and Redman. All in all, the film was weird and didn't really match the terror the series had provided before. Even still, much of the spirit of why people didn't like Seed of Chucky can be felt in Pinocchio: Unstrung, and it works so much better.
‘Seed of Chucky’ Is Still Worth a Watch Over a Decade Later
Seed of Chucky isn't the first movie that people should watch when watching the Chucky films, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't watch it at all. It's a unique film in the history of the franchise and shows what happens when the series fully embraces its humor without losing the fact that it's a series about a possessed doll killing people.
What makes it worth it is that while it's not hilarious, the weirdness alone makes it worth a watch and worth a chuckle. The violence is still there and surprisingly shocking as well, in certain parts. In that respect, it's the main reason why it's a great companion to Pinocchio: Unstrung. Glen is a sweetheart, while Glenda is absolutely terrifying, and throughout, you still get to see Chucky be the menace we know and love.
Seed of Chucky isn't a film you watch for its quality. It's a movie that captures the best and worst of the era and fits a specific niche of small possessed dolls killing people for the love of the game. The motivations may not be as clear as Pinocchio's, but that doesn't make the deaths any less wild, and it proves that some movies, good or bad, simply need time for people to warm up to them.
