Oscar winning director Guillermo del Toro confirmed Monday his next movie will be an animated take on Pinocchio for Netflix, and multiple sources in Portland's film community said he will film the movie here.

Netflix declined to comment on its Portland plans and the studio housing "Pinocchio," ShadowMachine, did not immediately respond to a request for official comment. But sources in the city's film community expect the new "Pinocchio" will bring an infusion of animation jobs over the next few years.

And it could be one of three major animation productions under way in the Portland area during that period.

Hillsboro-based Laika is preparing to start production on its sixth stop-motion film, and sources say another Netflix movie, "Wendell and Wild," is likely to film here, too.

Tim Williams, executive director of the Oregon Governor's Office of Film & Television, declined to comment on any projects that haven't publicly confirmed their Portland plans. But he acknowledged that the city's profile within the stop-motion ecosystem is on the rise.

"Now we're establishing ourselves as a destination for this type of artist and this type of animation," Williams said. Oregon, like other states, offers tax credits and other incentives to productions that film here but Williams declined to comment on specific incentives the Netflix films may receive.

Stop-motion is an exacting, old-fashioned process in which animators film puppets a single frame at a time, adjusting the puppets slightly between frames to simulate motion. Portland has been a focal point for the technique since the 1970s, when pioneering animator Will Vinton founded his eponymous studio after winning a best-animated short film Oscar for his film "Closed Mondays."

Vinton died earlier this month at age 70. But his former company, which changed its name to Laika after Nike co-founder Phil Knight acquired it, has made four Oscar-nominated animated films during the past decade at its Hillsboro production studio. Its fifth movie, "Missing Link," is due in theaters next spring.

Despite Laika's surge in output, work has been episodic for local animators. Laika brought in hundreds of people to work on each production, but most found themselves having to travel to studios in Hollywood, London or elsewhere to stay employed between productions.

"Pinocchio" could change that, particularly if it helps expand the city's foundation of skilled animators and lure more productions to Portland.

Netflix announced "Pinocchio" Monday, describing it as a retelling of the tale best known for Disney's animated version. It was originally an 1883 children's book by an Italian writer, Carlo Collodi.

According to Netflix, del Toro sets his version in Italy during the 1930s, an ominous period amid the rise of fascism and the stirrings of World War II.

Del Toro's most recent movie was "The Shape of Water," for which he won both best director and best picture at this year's Oscars. He had previously directed "Hellboy," "Pacific Rim" and "The Devil's Backbone."

Netflix said veteran Portland animator Mark Gustafson will serve as co-director; he previously served as animation director on Wes Anderson's "Fantastic Mr. Fox."

Animation studio ShadowMachine, known for the Netflix series "BoJack Horseman," will house "Pinocchio," according to Netflix. ShadowMachine has studios in Los Angeles and in Northwest Portland; three people familiar with the company's plans say it will film Pinocchio here. The sources asked not to be named because they have not been authorized to speak about the production.

Meanwhile, the sources say a separate Netflix movie, "Wendell and Wild," will likely also film in Portland. It's from the comedy duo Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key, to be directed by one of the best-known stop-motion animators, Henry Selick. Selick was Laika's creative chief and directed its first feature, "Coraline," but left the studio soon after that film's 2009 release.

"We've really done well and I'm very excited about these developments in the animation industry locally," said Williams, head of the Oregon film office. "I'm doing everything I can to nail it down."

Neither of the Netflix productions has a release date and it's not clear if they will get a wide theatrical release before Netflix begins streaming them.

Correction: Mark Gustafson is co-director of "Pinocchio," not animation director.

-- Mike Rogoway | twitter: @rogoway | 503-294-7699