Pages tagged “guillermo del toro”

Since the Potter-likeTwilight craze, vampires have been popping up in every media form—copycat novels, remakes of Swedish monster movies, and most recently in the awesome new HBO series True Blood. The trend is undeniable, especially now that it's even jumping genres: Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro—known for the screenwriting and direction of offbeat, intensely visual movies that showcase the fantastic—has signed on with HarperCollins to complete a trilogy of vampire novels.

When we reported back in March that David Fincher was reviving the Heavy Metal series, it seemed a little bit pie in the sky. Sure, it makes sense that Fincher would work on a project like that, but he's got enough other things in pre-production that it's hard to say what will ever see the light of day. The early announcement that Kevin Eastman and Tim Miller would be directing parts didn't make things seem likelier since neither of them have headed a film before.

It seems like not so long ago Guillermo del Toro was known as an understated genre child, a sign of life for horror as the genre dragged its feet through the neo-slasher craze. Early movies like Cronos and The Devil’s Backbone struck a brooding gothic rhythm that celebrated the old traditions of the genre with visual invention and genuine emotional edge.

Release Date: July 11

Director: Guillermo del Toro
Writers: Guillermo del Toro, Mike Mignola
Cinematographer: Guillermo Navarro
Starring: Ron Perlman, Doug Jones, Selma Blair, Seth McFarlane

Studio/Run Time: Universal Studios/110 mins.

Remember Hellboy? You'd be forgiven if you didn't. The 2004 film, released after Spider-Man but before Batman Begins, came along during the run-up to today's golden age of comics-to-film adaptations. As such, it's remembered by fans as an earnest, functional introduction to the world of Hellboy, where fantastical creatures (including the titular demonspawn) investigate paranormal disturbances and generally safeguard humanity. But in retrospect, it's clear that the creativity of director Guillermo del Toro was severely hampered by cautious studio execs more concerned with avoiding a flop than with creating a blockbuster.

When it was announced that Guillermo del Toro was directing The Hobbit, many were elated but few were surprised. Not only was del Toro one of the few directors with a sensibility for magical whimsy tinged with darkness, but he had long been rumored as the first choice for the project.  No, the big surprise was that he was planning on creating two films: one to cover the material within The Hobbit and one to cover the lengthy gap before the Lord of the Rings.

As the fuss around poor little Bilbo Baggins continues to mount along with pre-pre-production for The Hobbit, Guillermo del Toro has just scooped another project onto his already brimming plate (Seriously, does the guy sleep?). Producer Mark Johnson (The Chronicles of Narnia) and del Toro will produce an adaptation of David Moody's book Hater, a thriller about an epidemic of ordinary people suddenly acting violently with no regret that can strike anywhere and anyone. Even you!

It's great that Guillermo del Toro and Peter Jackson are both on board for the upcoming Hobbit  features, but what about everyone else involved with The Lord of the Rings? For the most part it looks like they're just as excited about the feature as everyone else. Two key roles, and one perhaps-ancillary one, are in talks to be filled with the same actors as in the original trilogy.

Psyched about the upcoming Hobbit and its as-yet-untitled sequel? That wasn't a rhetorical question, and the answer was "yes!" Well, this weekend you can put your questions to Peter Jackson and Guillermo del Toro yourself.  Weta has announced a livechat on Saturday, May 24. After first asking the 20 most common questions, they'll then open things up to live questions.  The live part will take up an entire hour, so you should have plenty of time to ask air your burning desires as to whether or not Smaug would win in a fight with a Nazgul.

Rumors of a Bioshock film have been circulating since January. A critical success like its forerunners, Bioshock managed to break out of the critically acclaimed niche of the System Shock series and become one of last year's hit games. With its immersive world of Rapture and cinematic presentation, it seemed natural that it would make it to onto celluloid.

Because of these rumors, Guillermo del Toro has been popping up as the name for a perfect Bioshock director. /Film dug up some comments on his message board asking whether he'd be up for it.

"I love BIOSHOCK from a design point of view but Unless its a HELLBOY sequel I am not that eager to engage in another action-oriented movie [sic]," said del Toro. "Even if the other elements are right. BUt- if I found the right pitch on the material, who knows- the BIOSHOCK universe is indeed wonderful [sic]."

From this information it sounds like del Toro is not interested in the project for now, as he certainly has plenty on his plate. But it's nice to know that it's possible, and at the very least, Ken Levine now knows that del Toro's a fan of his work.

For a bit more concrete information, del Toro also commented in the same message on The Hobbit: "There has been a lot of movement. And for the last few weeks there has been a lot of creative / cast / crew / visual talks and agreements and we have witnessed great progress in areas that I cannot disclose or that have already leaked from other sources.

"I am dying to share news but I have to be patient and wait until the papers are done and my attachment is real. Nevertheless- a LOT of progress in defining the films, their cast and crew. And, may I add, we are all happily in synch about all creative aspects so far and all willing and eager to move forth.

"I cannot say more but if all´s well the time will come To talk of many things: Of shoes -- and ships -- and sealing wax -- Of cabbages -- and kings."

Related links:
Review: Bioshock
2K Games
News: Guillermo del Toro to direct The Hobbit films

Got news tips for Paste? E-mail news@pastemagazine.com.

We don't usually write these things until they are 100%, set-in-stone facts, but this story just seems too good to wait. Earlier this week, it was announced that Guillermo del Toro, whose Pan's Labyrinth both frightened and moved audiences in 2006, is in talks to direct The Hobbit and its sequel. A film clip translated by fansite TheOneRing.net then announced that Toro had moved beyond that phase, saying, "Today it is our pleasure to announce something that everyone was hoping for, Guillermo will direct The Hobbit." Fanboys worldwide, commence rejoicing.

Toro's name had been previously thrown around, as well as Sam Raimi and Toro's friend Alfonso Cuaron, but up until now nothing had been made official. Granted, it still technically isn't, but the facts are coming closer to fruition. According to "an insider" who spoke with TheOneRing.net, things are 99% done and it's just the actual contract signing that's being delayed by the WGA strike.

As previously reported, Peter Jackson will be producing the two films, which cover The Hobbit and the time leading up to the Lord of the Rings series. Toro, in fact, spoke with Jackson previously and said, ”I met Peter and Fran [Walsh, Jackson's wife] when we were trying to do Halo. I think what they’re doing in New Zealand is amazing. What they’re doing, in terms of the way they approach filmmaking — the way I see it is, it’s Hollywood the way God intended it." With Toro and Jackson working together on The Hobbit, it sounds like it'll be Tolkien adapted the way God intended it as well.

Related links:
Paste: Jackson producing District 9
Guillermo del Toro on IMDB
TheOneRing.net fansite

Got news tips for Paste? E-mail news@pastemagazine.com.

Back in 1968-69 there was a short-lived British television series called The Champions, which was about a secret agents who, after being rescued from a plane crash, are given superpowers by an "advanced civilization." So, kind of like Heroes, but with more alien civilizations involved. While the show seems mostly forgotten, given that its wikipedia entry is less than 2500 words long, the series is up for revival on the big screen by Guillermo del Toro.

Toro will be writing, directing and producing the film likely sometime next year. He'll be working with United Artists on the project, but that's about all anyone knows about the film as of yet. The film's press release says that Champions "marks a departure" for del Toro, since it's neither a comic adaptation nor a fantasy. This is incorrect (obviously, superpowers are a fantasy and related to comics), but not a bad thing since this sounds right up del Toro's alley.

For now, del Toro's next film, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, will be out on July 11 next year. Once that finishes filming, del Toro will probably move right on to work on 3993, a film about hostages taken during the '90s with connections to the Spanish Civil War. Considering all this and his work producing Alfonso Cuarón's next feature, it could be a while before he gets to work on Champions.

Related links:
Press release for Champions at Variety
Guillermo del Toro on IMDB
Hellboy 2 website

Got news tips for Paste? Email news@pastemagazine.com.