Guillermo del Toro Offers Updates on Several Projects
Variety
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118054434?refCatId=13
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Guillermo del Toro is a filmmaker with lots on his plate. In addition to his many upcoming feature films including the tasty sounding giant monster bash Pacific Rim, the man also has several more kid-friendly animated horror projects on tap, and we’ve got an update from him on all of them.
Trollhunters
Likely to be del Toro’s directorial debut at DreamWorks.
“I was very, very cautious not to jump right into directing until my apprenticeship [with DreamWorks Animation] was at a point that I knew how every part of the process is articulated and what I want to do different,” says del Toro, who has already prepared the Trollhunters novel, co-authored with Daniel Kraus, to be published next year. Del Toro submitted his latest draft in May and plans to co-direct the film with Rodrigo Blaas.
Pinocchio
Though not scheduled to begin until summer 2013, this stop-motion twist on the familiar legend could leap ahead of del Toro’s DWA projects to become his toon debut. The director will co-helm with Mark Gustafson (The Fantastic Mr. Fox), with the production based at the Jim Henson Co.
“Ultimately, every project that I’ve been involved with has gone through Jeffrey (Katzenberg), and Jeffrey has an unofficial first look,” says del Toro, who describes the DWA topper as “somebody who, if you work hard, he works harder. I am a workaholic. I am a 24/7 kind of guy, but Jeffrey is like a 25/8.”
Day of the Dead
Another non-DreamWorks project, the Reel FX-produced CG toon has been described as a Romeo and Juliet-style romance set during Mexico’s Dia de los Muertos. Though “El Tigre” co-creator Jorge R. Gutierrez was previously pegged to direct, del Toro (who is producing) says an announcement is forthcoming.
The Witches
“I think it’s the best screenplay I’ve ever written in any form,” says del Toro of the stop-motion film, based on a book by Roald Dahl, which is stuck at Warner Bros. “I adore that project, and it met with the approval of Dahl’s widow, who loved it and felt it was completely respectful of the book, but it’s not moving at all.”
“In the last three years, I’ve given up trying to guess what my next project is. Things have taken such sharp turns. None of these were just announcements in the trades. They have hundreds and hundreds of storyboards, key concept art, fully developed screenplays, but obviously the step from that to a movie depends on how easy it is for the financial people to see it. Even in animation, I try to make movies that try things slightly different. I keep them well-tended, but it’s anyone’s guess.”
Look for more on these soon.
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