As Guillermo del Toro prepares for the release of his next feature film (and second collaboration with Netflix after Pinocchio), Frankenstein, the director has teased his next project. While you would think that the director of epics like The Shape of Water would stay within the fantasy realm, anything can happen. He has explored a wide spectrum of genre cinema, and it seems that’s where he feels comfortable. Nevertheless, the Academy Award-winning visionary admits that he’s in need of a “change.”
While promoting his version of Mary Shelley’s seminal sci-fi horror tale, Del Toro spoke to Empire magazine. He was also asked about what he intends to do next after the Netflix horror film. Days ago, he said his next movie would see a change in spirit: “I’m 60 now. So I’ve gone from asking who I am as a father and son to regret. I’m in the regret decade.” He confirmed he’s working on another stop-motion project, but he also mentioned Fury, a future project he described as “very cruel, very violent.” Per his comments to Empire, it seems that he’s following up on his intention to make a drastic change:
“If you look at the lineage, from Cronos to The Devil’s Backbone, to Pan’s Labyrinth to Crimson Peak to this, this is an evolution of a certain type of aesthetic, and a certain type of rhythm, and a certain type of empathy. I feel like I need a change… Right now, my desire is to try and do something very different.”
During the interview, del Toro clarified that his next movie won’t be the long-awaited adaptation of H. P. Lovecraft’s At the Mountains of Madness. He says the project is too difficult to make today, and will likely stay on his bucket list forever: “The one that’s on the bucket list that I think is going to stay there is [At The Mountains Of Madness]. It’s too big, too crazy, too R-rated, I guess. And to be completely candid, I don’t know that I want to do it after this.”
One of the Few Modern Directors Whose Identity Is as Strong as It Is Untouchable
When you think of Guillermo del Toro, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Is it the dark alleys with unimaginable monsters? Or is it perhaps the constant drive to explore the darkness of the human soul? In any case, del Toro has proven his gift for creating fantasy realms, while always incorporating the human condition in his stories. It’s easy to identify his body of work because of his strong cinematic identity, and his ability to blend fantastical elements with deeply human stories.
This identity will surely be present in his next film, which he deems very “different.” But this doesn’t mean fans should be concerned. After all, even his stop-motion animated version of Pinocchio had a pinch of darkness in its story. Also, the director teased that he may always feel the pull to return to his roots: “You never know. The day after tomorrow, I may want to do Jekyll & Hyde, or whatever.”
- Release Date
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October 17, 2025
- Runtime
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149 Minutes
- Producers
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J. Miles Dale