Sideshow Collectibles is actively working on new statue collectibles inspired by two of Guillermo Del Toro’s most recent films: DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK and SPLICE.

DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK was his 2011 release, written by Matthew Robbins and GDT, and directed by Troy Nixey. SPLICE was the GDT-produced horror flick directed by Vincenzo Natali.

Click here to view the PDF file with preview images and details. Note the “easter egg” on the DON’T BE AFRAID blocks.

Watch for DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK to be available on Blu-ray and DVD on January 3rd, 2012. Check out the artwork and special features below.

Special Features

• Three-part Making-of Documentary (“The Story”, “Blackwood’s Mansion”, and “The Creatures”)
• Conceptual Art Gallery (Blu-Ray only)

Promotion for GDT’s new film, DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK, is really ramping up in preparation of its August 26th release date!  Check out some of the buzz online:

• Make sure you start your online quest by visiting the official website at http://www.dontbeafraidofthedark.com/
• It is DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK week at our partner site, Fanboy Confidential.  Already posted is a review of BLACKWOOD’S GUIDE TO DANGEROUS FAIRIES and a Troy Nixey interview
• Here is a nice interview with GDT and Katie Holmes from Reuters
• And here is an interview with Guy Pearce from DreadCentral.
• GDT lists his “Favorite Fright Flicks” to the Chicago Sun-Times.
• Guillermo gives an update on all his projects to NYMag.
• Check out GeekDad’s two-part interview with Guillermo here and here.  Here is a great quote from this interview:

I think that Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark is tapping into the most primal, almost universal, childhood fears. That’s what attracted me from the get-go to the idea of making this remake, a complete re-telling of this story. The movie from 1973 was about a very specific, abusive relationship between a husband and wife, and it was very much a product of its time. … I decided to turn it into a sort of a very dark fairy tale. Precisely, as I say, that taps into universal fears — the invasion of the more intimate spaces, the home, the bedroom, the bed — and little by little we show that these creatures can be anywhere at any time, watching from the dark.

More news from  the San Diego Comic Con today, as Guillermo continues to make the rounds…

Film District Panel

Guillermo attended the Film District panel to promote DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK.  Also in attendance was DARK director Troy Nixey and Guy Pearce, plus Nicolas Winding Refn to promote DRIVE. Here are some noteworthy quotes, thanks to LatinoReview.com:

• Del Toro says Guy Pearce is “the f*****g man.” 
• Troy Nixey was determined to keep the creatures small, the studio wanted to make them bigger. “… those f*****s don’t give the f**k up.”
• “It was an interesting step to take, the first film of this genre that I’ve delved into.  The thing that drew me to it was that he was so cynical and disbelieving of his daughter, which is representative of what a bad father he is.  A very domestic drama of a girl that has all sorts of issues, and my being all tied up with what I’m tied up with…it’s an element of frustation for the audience.” — Guy Pearce on being the unbelieving character of DBOTD
• GDT, as per character, peppered his talk with his trademark salty language:

             Guy Pearce: “I just noticed that it said ‘be aware your audience members may be under 18′”
             Del Toro: “They didn’t know what the f**k they were getting into!

Also at the Film District panel was Ron Perlman, who is starring in DRIVE.  Naturally, the topic of HELLBOY 3 came up.  The Playlist snagged a quote:

“‘Hellboy 2′ was tough. Both of us walked away from that a little bit, ‘Do I ever want to revisit this?’ But then with the luxury of time and looking at it in an objectified way…We were beat up at the end of it,” Perlman said. “He always looked at it as a trilogy and there were things that were unresolved. So for us to not make it would be letting down people who invested in the first two. It’s epic what he wants to do, but it would be cinematic and well worth doing.”

And Del Toro echoes the sentiments of the franchise star. “Each of those moves has been an incredible ordeal to make. The third one is the hardest one because it’s the darkest one…And if it’s not Ron, I don’t want to make it. The third one is epic, it’s gigantic.”

The Visionary Panel, with GDT and Jon Favreau

Entertainment Weekly has the scoop on the Visionary Panel, where two great filmmakers discuss genre filmmaking in Hollywood.  Some GDT quotes:

On their admiration for one another: “Often directors don’t hang together because we’re jealous a–holes,” Del Toro noted. But the two spoke of their friendship that has developed over the last several years, with Favreau calling Del Toro “an inspiration and a mentor and someone to commiserate with.”

Del Toro on his dream project, At the Mountains of Madness, an adaptation of a classic H.P. Lovecraft horror tale, which recently fell apart over budget concerns: “I hope [we can still make it]. I’ve been trying to do it for so many years. We were so close, and the incarnation we were going to do is so great, I don’t want to give up. Fortunately, we control the property … so we can try to keep it alive. I hope I make it. It’s one of those movies that’s a Holy Grail for me.”

Del Toro on his reputation as a filmmaker: “I don’t think I’m a household name director. I think I’m an acquired taste. When I come here, it’s fantastic, but I don’t buy that illusion… I’m really a freak every place I go. I don’t quite fit in the independent scene, I don’t quite fit in the art scene, and I don’t fit in the Hollywood scene. I’m a weird, strange, fat motherf—er, and I plan to stay that way.”

Del Toro on his next directorial project, Pacific Rim: “It’s the most fun I’ve had on a Hollywood movie ever. It almost should be illegal. We’re designing monsters all day long. Gigantic f—ing monsters. All day long.”

Well, an interesting first day at SDCC, it appears.  Although I could not attend this year, I am able to scan the various news reports online for GDT news – and here is what I have found:

• As was reported on our forums, Guillermo Del Toro will be working with Dark Horse to release a comic book version of THE STRAIN, the trilogy of novels written by GDT and Chuck Hogan.  The comic will be written by David Lapham (Stray Bullets), with art by Mike Huddleston (MK Ultra).  Variety reports that the series is set for publication on December 14th.  Three paperback graphic novels will be released in the fall of 2012.  Each book will be 32 pages, with each novella in the trilogy getting an 8 issue series.  GDT says he will “supervise everything”, giving his opinion on the art, the covers and screenplays. (Artwork below taken from Bleeding Cool).
• Guillermo was supposed to attend the announcement of the Dark Horse STRAIN project last night, but it appears he was unable to attend because of a back injury.  I will post more information as I get it, and will find out if he will be attending his other SDCC commitments.
• DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK has a new official website at http://www.dontbeafraidofthedark.com/.  You can lookup showtimes now and order tickets through the site.  It is a pretty cool site that lets you “explore” the DARK mansion and unlock clues.

  

  

  
  

Lots of news coming our way in the world of GDT – check out the full report below:

• MIMIC is finally getting a Blu-Ray release on September 27th of this year! This HD release promises new bonus materials, including an audio commentary and introduction from GDT, plus two featurettes. The featurettes will be a “behind-the-scenes” retrospective and a special look at the insect creatures.  Also included will be deleted/alternate scenes, outtakes and storyboard animatics.  Will this also be the long-awaited “director’s cut”? No mention of a new cut in the press release, so it would be surprising if it is the anticipated director’s cut of the film.
• GDT will be at the 2011 San Diego Comic Con to promote PACIFIC RIM.  Here is when you can catch him if you are attending

Thursday, July 21, 6:00 – The Visionaries: A Discussion with Jon Favreau and Guillermo Del Toro on the Future of Pop Culture.  This will be the one you won’t want to miss, folks!!  Get in line now.

Friday, July 22nd, 12:45 – Legendary Pictures Preproduction.  GDT will be joined by the unofficial cast of PACIFIC RIM, Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Charlie Day and Rinko Kikuchi

Note: Although it doesn’t say GDT will attend this panel, you might also want to check out the 2:00pm Film District panel on Thursday, since they will be celebrating the release of DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK. 

• Guillermo Del Toro has confirmed that Guillermo Navarro, his long time Director of Photography, will be the DT for PACIFIC RIM.  The official start date for shooting RIM is October 31st in Toronto at Pinewood Studios.  It is slated for  July 21, 2011 release.
• Here are some nice GDT related stories you should check out:

GDT Interview Audio: “Fantasy is Rebellion…Always” (Hollywood Outbreak)

Alchemist Guillermo Del Toro Turns Creepy, Bizarre Material into Movie Gold (Vanity Fair)

Guillermo Del Toro’s Imagination is Working Overtime (L.A. Times)

• DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK will kick off London’s Film4 FrightFest Film Festival on August 25th

Some new clips from DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK have been posted online, as well as some pictures! Check them out below and let us know what you think!

Guillermo del Toro on the set of "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" with Bailee Madison. (Carolyn Johns / Miramax Film Corp.)

 Lots of interesting news and notes surfaced over the weekend, following the premiere of DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK at the LA Film Festival.  Check out all that I found below:

• The early reviews for DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK appear to be positive, with most agreeing that the film plays like a dark fairy tale similar to PAN’S LABYRINTH.  That makes sense, since Guillermo says that was the very reason he chose not to direct the film: GDT told the LA Times,  ’”The instincts I have for the material would be the same instincts I had for ‘Pan’s.’ I tried to avoid that.” 
• Here are a couple of reviews currently posted online from Screen Junkies (“entertaining and creative”) and Dread Central (‘expertly paced Gothic chiller’)
• ShockTillYouDrop has a nice photo gallery of images for DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK here.
• GDT served as guest director of the LA Film Festival, selecting the obscure Italian 1996 horror film “L’Arcano Incantatore” (“The Arcane Enchanter”). GDT told the LA Times that he stumped Quinton Tarantino with that film in a ‘name-that-movie’ contest: 

“We were like dueling banjos,” Del Toro said. “I said, ‘I bet you I can name a movie you haven’t seen.’ He went, ‘Shoot.’ This is the movie I trumped him with. I think that if Quentin hasn’t seen it, then 99% of cinema lovers have not seen it because Quentin is like a machine. This is one of my favorite unknown movies ever. This is a really beautiful, incredibly eerie, spiritual fantastic horror movie.”

• Deadline Hollywood reported that their was some “drama” during the DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK premiere.  An hour into the film, the theater was evacuated for an “emergency in the building”…a false alarm.  GDT joked to Film District’s Bob Berney that the prank was probably the “dirty work of Bob Weinstein and the MPAA.”
• ComingSoon.net got a chance to ask Charlie Day about the possiblity of working with Del Toro, here are some quotes passed along from ShockTillYouDrop: 

 

Shock: You just signed on for a tour of the Pacific Rim…

Charlie Day: I’m not officially signed on so I’ve been told to dodge around answering questions, but I’ve definitely been having conversations with them about it. I’d hate to say I’d like to sign on because I don’t want them to low-ball me [laughs] but hopefully that’ll all work out.

 

Shock: What was it like meeting the master, Guillermo del Toro?

Day: I was very thrilled to find out he’d seen every single episode of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia. That’s why we were meeting. Because Pan’s Labyrinth is up there as one of the greatest movies ever made.

 

Shock: He’s such a personality. He’s read every book, he’s seen every movie. If you were to sign on would you have a “Monster Approval” clause in your contract?

Day: [laughs] I will not be given monster approval, but when it comes to Guillermo you let him do all the approving.

 

Shock: Well I hope you can land it because it sounds like an awesome frickin’ project.

Day: I hope so too.

 

Just a few more months and we’ll finally get to see a Guillermo Del Toro film hit the screen.

Of course, he didn’t direct it, but he did write the screenplay with Matthew Robbins.  DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK will be released August 26th, 2011, and a new trailer has just been released. Check it out below.

The film stars Katie Holmes, Guy Pierce and is directed by Troy Nixey.

The Los Angeles Film Festival has announced that Guillermo Del Toro has been selected as Guest Director at the Los Angeles Film Festival.  As part of this role, Del Toro will present a film at the festival that was a significant influence in his life and follow it with a Q&A session.  In addition, DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK will close the festival on June 26th at Regal Cinemas Stadium 14 LA LIVE. 

“Guillermo del Toro is one of the most visionary directors of our time.  It’s an honor to welcome Guillermo back to our Festival as this year’s Guest Director and to unite our audiences with this extraordinary, consummate artist,” said Festival Director Rebecca Yeldham.  “Building on a tradition of providing our audiences with access to world-class artists and their work, we’re thrilled to announce this round of Festival additions.”

The screenplay for DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK was written by Del Toro and his writing partner Matthew Robbins.  The film is directed by Troy Nixey and stars Katie Holmes and Guy Pierce.

Passes are available May 31 at the official Festival website here.