Guillermo del Toro Says 'Frankenstein' Is the End Of An Era For Him

Guillermo del Toro is the master of monsters and dark fairytales. But that might be his past, and his future could look very different.

With his highly anticipated Frankenstein still in the works, the visionary director has signaled that it will mark the end of an era for him. And has said, "I feel like I need a change."

Well, what kind of change? And what does that mean? Also, are there any lessons in there for other filmmakers?

Let's dive in.

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The End of an Era for Del Toro

When I hear we're getting a new Guillermo Del Toro movie, I am excited. The guy makes stuff I love seeing. I don't even know how to expand on that. I am endlessly impressed with the touch and care he puts into films, and he wears his heart on his sleeve. There's no one else like that out here.

Recently, Del Toro sat down with the great Empire Magazine to talk about where he's at in his career and his new Frankenstein movie.

It turns out, he may be at the end of an era.

Dele Toro said:

This movie closes the cycle. 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 […] You never know, the day after tomorrow, I may want to do Jekyll & Hyde, or whatever. But right now, my desire is to try and do something very different.

Can An Auteur Change?

We talk a lot about auteur theory on this website. Basically, we know a Del Toro movie when we see one. But can an auteur drastically change so much that they have eras?

It worked for Picasso, so why not for Del Toro?

For decades, del Toro has been a beacon for those of us who love practical effects, intricate production design, and stories that find the humanity in the monstrous.

But now, the man himself is saying he needs to evolve.

The question is, what do you change into after all this time?

Does "a change" mean a move away from the gothic and the fantastical? Is he trading in his menagerie of magical creatures for like indie human stories?

The Burden of a Signature Style

Here's the thing about having a style as distinct as del Toro's: it can become a cage. He's the king of a particular kind of movie, but maybe the crown is getting a little heavy.

And maybe those stories are burning him out.

Del Toro has been a guiding light for so many of us, a director who proved that you can be uncompromising in your vision and still achieve massive success. His willingness to embrace the strange and the beautiful has been an inspiration.

And this new evolution makes him feel more human and should inspire us even more.

This is a struggle many of us face as writers and directors. We find a niche and we stick to it because it works. But creativity is about growth and pushing your boundaries.

Del Toro's announcement is a powerful reminder that we should never get too comfortable.

You should always be channeling yourself to do something new.

Make it hard on yourself!

Sharpen what you've got and see what kind of creativity you can unlock.

Summing It All Up

Whatever del Toro does next, you can be sure the film world will be watching. I'm pumped to see what the end of an era looks like and to know that he's going to challenge himself to do something new and interesting.

We can all take a page from that book and learn a lot.

Let me know what you think in the comments.