The great thing about being a Guillermo Del Toro fan is that GDT always has lots of projects out there to engage our interest and curiosity. Even though it has been roughly five years since Guillermo’s HELLBOY 2, there have been plenty of appetizers served as we await his next main course: PACIFIC RIM. Those delicious nuggets include THE STRAIN trilogy, MIMIC Director’s Cut BluRay, DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK (a GDT/Matthew Robbins screenplay) and his various producing efforts, including PUSS IN BOOTS and SPLICE.

Unfortunately, PACIFIC RIM is still a year away, due out the summer of 2013. And as Tom Petty once said, “the waiting is the hardest part.”

So as we wait for el maestro to serve us our entree, you may need something to keep that tummy from growling, and I am here to please. Below are the major GDT projects in the works, and their most current status updates (my source is el maestro himself).

This should hold you over…at least for a day or two.

PACIFIC RIM

Shooting is wrapped, and GDT is now neck-deep in post production. This epic summer blockbuster from Legendary Pictures will pit massive robots vs. giant monsters and will be released July 12, 2013. Our pal Spydaweb recently treated us to a plot synposis at FanboyConfidential:

From acclaimed filmmaker Guillermo del Toro comes Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ epic sci-fi action adventure “Pacific Rim.”

When legions of monstrous creatures, known as Kaiju, started rising from the sea, a war began that would take millions of lives and consume humanity’s resources for years on end. To combat the giant Kaiju, a special type of weapon was devised: massive robots, called Jaegers, which are controlled simultaneously by two pilots whose minds are locked in a neural bridge. But even the Jaegers are proving nearly defenseless in the face of the relentless Kaiju. On the verge of defeat, the forces defending mankind have no choice but to turn to two unlikely heroes-a washed up former pilot (Charlie Hunnam) and an untested trainee (Rinko Kikuchi)-who are teamed to drive a legendary but seemingly obsolete Jaeger from the past. Together, they stand as mankind’s last hope against the mounting apocalypse.

Oscar^® nominee Guillermo del Toro (“Pan’s Labyrinth”) is directing “Pacific Rim” from a script by Travis Beacham (“Clash of the Titans”). Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni and Mary Parent are producing, with Callum Greene serving as executive producer.

The film stars Charlie Hunnam (TV’s “Sons of Anarchy”), Idris Elba (“Thor”), Rinko Kikuchi (“The Brothers Bloom”), Charlie Day (“Horrible Bosses”), and Ron Perlman (the “Hellboy” films). The ensemble cast also includes Max Martini, Robert Kazinsky, Clifton Collins, Jr., Burn Gorman, Larry Joe Campbell, Diego Klattenhoff, and Brad William Henke.

Sounds great, right? I was lucky enough to visit the Toronto set for PR, and I can tell you one thing: this one is going to be a LOT of fun. Get your popcorn ready. (Oh, and expect something to be revealed at this year’s San Diego Comic Con in August!)

PINOCCHIO

This looks to be GDT’s next directing effort, a 3D stop-motion re-telling of the classic Carlo Collodi fairy tail that is being backed by the Jim Henson Company. Del Toro will co-direct with Mark Gustafson (THE PJ’S), with this version being a dark tale heavily influenced by the artwork of Gris Grimly’s PINOCCHIO. GDT says that “redesign will start soon” as well as a rewrite. GDT told the Hollywood Reporter at Cannes that the project is “on schedule” and will be “ready” in 2014. I can assume that since stop-motion films take a long time to make, this project will not hold Guillermo’s undivided attention. Expect for him to be doing other things in 2013.

No cast is set yet, but GDT has “expressed interest” in bringing in Daniel Radcliffe, Tom Waits and Christopher Walken (as the fox!).

HAUNTED MANSION

Another one of GDT’s obsessions is the Haunted Mansion ride at Disneyland (he has been collecting memorabilia for years, so it is no coincidence that he is developing a film based on the famous attraction. A screenplay has already been delivered to Disney, with a second revision being sent over soon, so this project is still very much on the radar. Also, “show-and-tell” storyboards have already been developed, with over 4o pieces of art. GDT had this to say to MTV: “The movie I see in my head of ‘Haunted Mansion’ is not, I believe, what everyone is imagining it to be,” he said. “It’s not just a regular world with a haunted mansion plopped in the middle. I really am thinking of a movie that has a heightened reality.”

HULK TV SHOW

ABC Network President told the Hollywood Reporter that GDT’s Hulk television program is still in development, with the expectation that it will be ready by next season (2013). GDT will be developing the show along with BATTLESTAR GALACTICA creator David Eick. GDT says the series is currently looking for a new writer. Guillermo has described the Hulk project as an “origin story”, with the Hulk character being created with a blend of prosthetics, puppetry and CGI. Don’t expect Mark Ruffalo to reprise his Avengers roll, however.

AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS

Guillermo: “For now it slumbers and awaits in the South Pacific.”

The movie that all die-hard Guillermo fans are anxious for is the epic Lovecraft tale that has been years in the making. As we know, it came within studio execs nod of getting made (macquettes, artwork and script were complete – GDT was even scouting locations when he heard the news) and recently, Guillermo expressed doubt that with PROMETHEUS getting released this year, it may never get made. GDT told our fans on the message boards: “I assumed the greek metaphor alluded at the creation aspects of the HPL book. I believe I am right and if so, as a fan, I am delighted to see a new RS science fiction film, but this will probably mark a long pause -if not the demise- of ATMOM.”

Let’s hope that movie fans and studio execs have short memories and Cthulu rises again from deep in several years. Never is a long time.

Finally, it begins.  For the first time in more than 4 years (HELLBOY 2), Guillermo Del Toro is behind the camera and in the director’s chair.  (It may also seem like at least that long since our website has been updated!).  GDT said himself on our message boards that he is “very excited and anxious to tackle this film.”

Here are the principle cast, as reported on IMDB:

Charlie Day (Always Sunny in Philadephia): Newt Gotlieb

Charlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy): Raleigh Antrobus

Idris Elba (The Wire): Stacker Pentecost

Max Martini (The Unit): Herc Hansen

…and some crew members of note:

Guillermo Navarro (Pan’s Labyrinth): Cinematographer

Mike Elizalde (Hellboy 2): Creature effects

TyRuben Ellingson (Blade 2): Concept designer

Elinore Rose Galbraith (Mimic): Art design

The shoot is scheduled to wrap in May 2012 at Pinewood Studios in Toronto. 

Also, in an interview with Wired.com, GDT mentions that Ron Perlman will have a role in PACIFIC RIM, but did not give details.

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Now, as I had mentioned, it has been too long since we had an update on the website, so here are some “quick hit” items to get caught up on:

There is a great interview with GDT at Wired.com, where he talks about his new book with Chuck Hogan, THE NIGHT ETERNAL, among other things.  Here are some of my favorite quotes that interview:

There’s a passage at the end of The Night Eternal where one of the characters, Mr. Q, says, “The language of God is biology.” Essentially he says that god sends the letter, but he doesn’t send the dictionary.

I agree with that idea. And that’s what we started with. For example, if I was writing Dracula right now, how would I deal with the arrogance of science? Because science is very, very arrogant. And I thought, “Well, the best way to deal with that is with an epidemic.”

Of particular note in the interview is this sentence: Chuck (Hogan) and I are working on a series of books that I can’t talk too much about. But we started on that about two weeks ago. 

GDT also reports that a screenplay for the HULK pilot has been turned in to ABC, and a screenplay for HAUNTED MANSION has been turned in to Disney.

MTV Rough Cut has posted a great interview with GDT.  Watch the videos below to get updates on the following projects:

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

FRANKENSTEIN

PACIFIC RIM and ATMOM

HAUNTED MANSION

Yeesh – I wish had more time to get some blogging in – but better late than never.

I just wanted to quickly summarize a lot of the GDT news that came out of SDCC for the “casual” observer.

1. DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK
It got an R rating for “pervasive scariness”, which Guillermo took as a badge of honor. They were going for a PG-13 rating, but got the R just out of scariness alone – no gore, sex or cursing. Apparently the scares did the trick – it was one of the more popular panels at SDCC and the buzz on Twitter was that people jumped in their seats during the clips.

2. FRANKENSTEIN
Doug is still in the driver’s seat to play the monster, and they are doing make-up tests very, very soon. GDT has said that Bernie Wrightson’s drawings are the inspiration for the creature, and of course, he was brought in for the creature design. Also of note is that GDT said the film’s colors will be very CLOSE to black & white – I’m very curious how that will look.

3. PINOCCHIO
GDT’s Gus Grimley stop motion PINOCCHIO project is under development and actively being worked on.

4. DOUBLE DARE YOU
The DOUBLE DARE YOU production label that GDT formed with Disney to create scary animated films fell through, apparently because of THE HOBBIT delays.

5. THE HAUNTED MANSION
The biggest news is GDT’s involvement with Disney on THE HAUNTED MANSION, a film based on Disney’s famous theme park ride. Guillermo will write the script with Matthew Robbins and produce, but not likely to direct. His goal is to make a fun, scary family experience in 3D, much like the ride itself.

Finally – what will Guillermo’s next directing project be? We know for sure it is a HORROR film, and it is a “known” commodity.

FRANKENSTEIN still seems like a long shot. The project has to be ready to go by May, and I don’t think there is a script yet. Still, GDT has been hesitant to comment on this project…moreso than usual.

DR. STRANGE has been rumored on the internet, but I don’t think that would fall in the HORROR category. Sorry, don’t think that is happening.

Could we finally see AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS? Maybe – that would be a major coupe, but something tells me that the studios aren’t ready to commit to that one.

GDT says this is a project that he started years ago, and it has finally come full circle. Could it be the MEPHISTO’S BRIDGE project (based on the novel SPANKY)?

Don’t know for sure – I think this new directing project will be well recognized, whatever it is. Can’t wait to find out.

Where was I when Guillermo was making his future known to the world at the 2010 San Diego Comic Con?

I was sitting in an air conditioned car slurping a MooLatte at Dairy Queen with my kids.

What can I say? I’m a family guy. But I was following tweets of GDT’s panel for DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK while slurping my delicious coffee treet. We learned a lot of interesting stuff today.

Yesterday we learned that GDT will be writing and producing a HAUNTED MANSION movie for Disney. Today we got even more interesting news. Fortunately for us, CinemaBlend was there to blog the whole thing live. Here is what we learned form CB’s report:

1. The DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK teaser trailer was scaring the bejeezus out of Hall H. Sounds like GDT and director Troy Nixey has some classic scares for audiences. Guillermo has said the teaser should hit the internet soon.

2. Del Toro has plans to make a premium cable horror series.

3. He has an idea for a vampires vs Mexican wrestlers movie. Also thinking about a Mexican folklore animation project.

4. Development has begun on his Pinochio stop motion film. Read more about that here.

5. He says he will announce a horror project that he will be involved with that will start in May. This tidbit grabs my attention: I would imagine that his next directing project will start in May…sounds like his next film will be of the horror variety. ATMOM? FRANKENSTEIN? That seems to be the buzz on the internet right now…stay tuned!

The first major GDT news has hit the ‘net from Comic Con. Guillermo made a surprise appearance at the TRON panel and announced that he (and writing partner Matthew Robbins) will be writing and producing a film inspired by the HAUNTED MANSION theme park ride.

Here is a quote from an exclusive Q&A with The Hollywood Reporter.

“It’s going to be a thrill ride for the whole family but it’s definitely going to be scary,” he said. “(Walt) Disney is one of the creators of some of the scariest images in my childhood. People forget that he not only made sweet images but also images of nightmare. We need to honor that side of the legacy.”

Die hard fans of Guillermo will know that he is a huge fan of THE HAUNTED MANSION, and has collected memorabilia in his “man cave”.

At this time Guillermo has not committed to direct the film, but has left his options open depending on the status of other projects.

We will post more news here at DTF as we get it.