It's been three years since Guillermo del Toro last directed a film (2008's "Hellboy II: The Golden Army"), but the imaginative Mexican director has hardly been idle in that time.
It's just that there have been a few false starts. There was the H.P. Lovecraft adaptation "At the Mountains of Madness," with which James Cameron was also involved and which Universal backed out of last spring.
He also was originally slated to direct "The Hobbit," but pulled out because the project was in financial limbo -- though he did write the scripts. And he's been toying with the idea of a new version of "Frankenstein," which would be one of a series of classic horror reimaginings he wants to make for Universal.
Also read Alonso Duralde's review: 'Don't Be Afraid of the Dark' Will Have You Sleeping With the Light On
But he's also produced several films in that time, including the Oscar-nominated "Biutiful" and this weekend's "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark," which opens this weekend, was itself delayed for a year by business problems at Miramax. (It's now being released by Film District.)
A new version of a 1973 television movie, the film is directed by comic-book artist and first-time director Troy Nixey, The tense and terrifying movie, which del Toro co-wrote, stars Bailee Madison as a young girl who encounters small but deadly creatures in the basement of an old house where she's taken by her father (Guy Pearce) and stepmother (Katie Holmes).
Del Toro talked to TheWrap while preparing to begin principal photography on his next directorial effort, the monster movie "Pacific Rim." "As far as I can tell, it's going," he said with a laugh. "But I've been surprised some times in the last few years."
You've said that you thought you were making a PG-13 movie, and were surprised when the MPAA gave it an R for "pervasive scariness." But watching the film, I couldn't imagine that it'd ever warrant a PG-13. It may not be graphic, but it's terrifying.
Apparently, we were deluded. I must say, seeing it last night, I actually see the point of view of the MPAA. Especially with the opening scene. It's not graphic, because you don’t see the moment, but it's brutal nevertheless.
The movie begins with a very brutal scene involving a hammer and a chisel, set a century earlier. Did you always intend to begin the movie that way?
This is one of the few moments where I have pride in my tyranny. At one point Troy removed that scene. He said, "Well, I think it's too disturbing." And I said, "Let me tell you this, Troy: You're shooting that scene. It has to open like that.
