Guillermo del Toro Fears He Won’t Live to See AI Art Become Widespread

Guillermo del Toro thrives on challenges. The 61-year-old filmmaker approaches each project with meticulous planning, ensuring that nothing he produces can be described as “half-hearted.” Each film is crafted with exceptional care during the scripting and storyboarding process.

This level of commitment shines through in Frankenstein, his long-anticipated adaptation of Mary Shelley’s 1818 classic. The years he has invested in this project are clearly visible in the intricate sets and costumes, alongside some imaginative adaptations of Shelley’s narrative—an indication of his deep connection to the original text.

Growing up in a devout Catholic household in Guadalajara, Mexico, del Toro became captivated by the 1931 film Frankenstein at the tender age of 7. He revealed to NPR that he chose Dr. Victor Frankenstein’s creature as his “personal messiah.” Since that moment, he has dedicated his career to reimagining “monsters” as complex heroes—from the kaiju in Pacific Rim to the amphibious protagonist in The Shape of Water, which earned him Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Picture.

Frankenstein, currently showing in select theaters and set to debut on Netflix on November 7, stands as del Toro’s latest and most lavish tribute to the theme of misunderstood monsters. WIRED connected with him via Zoom to discuss AI, authoritarian figures, and the pivotal summer of 1816 that inspired Shelley to pen the beloved story.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

ANGELA WATERCUTTER: I’d like to start with the conclusion. You finish Frankenstein with a quote from Lord Byron: “The heart will break, yet brokenly live on.” In adapting Mary Shelley, what prompted you to let Byron have the final say?

GUILLERMO DEL TORO: To me, the film is a blend of Mary Shelley’s life, my own, the book, and the themes I want to explore within Romanticism. One element I felt was crucial yet often overlooked is the concept of war. The historical context of the Napoleonic Wars plays a significant role, and Byron’s poem references the aftermath of Waterloo. That quote encapsulates the film’s essence—stemming from personal experiences, it reflects how despite heartbreak and devastation, life continues and you must persevere.

Byron was also a catalyst for Shelley to write her novel. He, along with her and Percy Bysshe Shelley, engaged in a contest on Lake Geneva to craft the finest horror story, and she emerged with what is arguably the most remarkable work of the lot.