Acclaimed Director Guillermo del Toro Reflects on Turbulent '90s

In 1997, acclaimed filmmaker Guillermo del Toro faced two significant events that shaped his career. First, his father was kidnapped in Guadalajara, Mexico, an ordeal that del Toro says bonded him with director James Cameron, who helped in the efforts to get his father back. However, del Toro considers his experience with the Weinstein brothers on his film Mimic to be far worse than the kidnapping.

Del Toro explains that while the kidnapping was a known challenge, the Weinsteins' demands were unpredictable and lasted much longer, over 72 days. The director says there are "images" and "moments" in Mimic that reflect this turbulent period. Despite the difficulties, the film was eventually released.

Now, over 25 years later, del Toro is reflecting on his career and his strong opposition to the use of artificial intelligence in art and filmmaking. He believes AI "may be useful for architecture, chemistry, medicine," but not for creative pursuits, as it "knows what has been done" but "doesn't know what to do next." Del Toro fears that if audiences become willing to pay for AI-generated content, "then we'll get the movies we deserve."

The director's latest project, a new adaptation of Frankenstein, is a lifelong passion project that he has "aged into" and "failed into" over the course of his career. Premiering at the Venice Film Festival in October 2025, the film stars Oscar Isaac and Jacob Elordi and marks the culmination of del Toro's decades-long obsession with the classic story.