How are you feeling about it right now?
And I think its great to see that well received!
This one presumably is much closer to theHellboyfilm you wanted to make?
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I wouldnt put it quite like that.
Pans Labyrinths success was presumably the watershed moment for that?
Well it was in my mind, perhaps, a new beginning.
I would hope the watershed is still to come, though!
It did seem to be the film though where afterwards Hollywood decided that it would fully back you?
That it took a smaller, personal, international film?
And certainly my agents were worried.
But I was not, I was very determined to do it.
And that defines your career now to an extent.
This confidence and vision, that you are standing up to people, and you are saying no?
Immediately afterMimic, I really had to wonder if I would ever shoot a movie again…… it gotthatbad?
And I thought that in doingThe Devils Backbone, Id be doing that from a position of strength.
I really loved that movie.
And I made them understand that it was not their decision, it was my decision.
And it was that moment, that particular moment, that was a great moment for declaring principle.
Blade IIyou filled with little lovely little touches for hardcore geeks, too.
Were thinking particularly the Burroughs homage in the typewriter room.
Did you get much reaction to those?Well, no.
WhenBlade IIraised quite a substantial amount above the first one, that gave me enough ammunition to go forHellboy.
All the other movies are by contrast quite restrained.
They are more minimalistic, with little injuries likeCronosor indeed inPans Labyrinth.
But I really wantedBlade IIto have sort of a punk attitude, and that was not unnoticed!
Youre a well know comics fan, but how much reading do you put into the conception of theHellboyfilms?
That is actually a really good question, because with bothHellboy 1and2theres a lot of research.
The reading forHellboy IIwas hand in hand with the reading for folklore and mythology and fairy tales forPans Labyrinth.
Did you find the look of the comics affected your shooting style?
I tried to on the first one.
Very, very rigorously.
But as it turns out, we could only translate a certain portion.
I felt that we were quite slavish to the colour palettes and the shadows and all that.
I personally would stop at three.
Because I think that particular iteration ofHellboyends there.
The way I plan to do the film if it ever happens, theres no other place to go.
Is there any other comic franchise youd like to try?
I have mentioned casually the ones I love.
Dr Strange, I love Jack KirbysDemon, I love Bernie WrightsonsSwamp Thing.
But all of them are very unlikely to happen.Any particularly reason for that?
Because if anyone can get them made, it would be you!
Well its because I have such a backlog of stuff that I need to take to fruition.
Is that one you definitely still want to do?
I would love to.
Thats my goal in life!
Do you find yourself in awe of the size of a project such as that?
You know, to be absolutely honest, no.
Its just a lot of work.
But Im used to working a lot Im a hard working fat man!
Yeah.What kind of demand are you expecting off that?
Is there an added weight of expectation there?
Well its one of those movies where ifPans Labyrinthcomes out and it fails, it fails quietly.
Its kind of a silent project.
IfHellboyperforms well or not, ultimately the people affected are smaller size of public.
They are absolute quests.
There is absolutely no room for non-delivery.
There are lots of reports circulating that the second film is in some kind of doubt for legal reasons.
Can you clear that up for us?
Not to my knowledge.
Absolutely, categorically not to my knowledge.
Thats the only thing.
Does that amuse you or frustrate you?
Its very unusual, because Ive never talked so much about a project that doesnt even have a screenplay!
Do you have any conception of ever being able to go back to these projects?
Some of them are gone.
So that is gone.
List Of Seven, by Mark Frost, Im still trying to get off the ground.
I think thats a movie that still bugs me a little bit.
Its sort of like a David Lean, Sergio Leone epic western.
Very much full of magic.
And its the only movie without any creatures.
There are other ones.
Well, if its somebody I trust, thats the only case in which Ill pass it.
I promise then that Ill leave that person alone.
The guy Im hiring for this screenplay, I think is fantastic director.
Is that a good feeling?
It keeps you on your toes.
It keeps you slightly younger, mentally.
And as sappy as it may sound, I find a lot of reward in giving.
There is a part of that.
Youre finding youre deflecting the pressure for them…
Not only that.
And my aim is better.
Where do they all fit aroundThe Hobbit?
And from now until January 09, Im trying to put everything to bed.
So that list comes down to really about five projects.
They are supporting of other film makers, and stuff like that, where the monetary involvement is minimal.
But they require my attention.
And we found uncannily enough difficulty raising the money for it.Really?
Can you believe that?
I wanted to do it stop motion, and it couldnt be done, we couldnt raise the money.
Do you think the project has died a death now?
I would love to do that movie, but there was just a curious resistance to it.
AndTarzan, Im out of.
It would surely lend itself well to your visual style?
I was very eager, because I am becoming more and more compulsive about controlling the frame.
About what goes in the frame, and the elements and the camera moves.
Talking of films youve not made, youve twice turned down theHarry Potterfilms.
Were they a little too straight jacketed for the way you work?
No, I would have loved to have done the last one.
Because I found the ending very moving.
Youve also, of course, got a very fervent online fanbase, that youre very close to.
That would be very sad.
So if we did that, then I would love for my decisions to be respected.
Even to be respected when someone says you have ruined my childhood!
Are there any films coming up now that you wish youd been involved with?No!
I think that everything else that I like is in great hands.
And theyve not let you see it yet?
No, I want to wait until opening night!
Well, its always very difficult, and its always a dont give up situation.
I really have no advice but to persevere.
I always use that most poetic analogy, that making films is always like eating a sandwich of shit.
As you get your foot in, you get a little more bread, but you always get shit!
If you get used to the aftertaste, you may survive!
Guillermo del Toro, thank you very much.
Thanks to Mike Jennings, Carl England and Robert Mclaughlin for their help in preparing the questions.
Check out our review of Hellboy 2…
