Oscar-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro confirmed during a San Diego Comic-Con panel that his upcoming 4K 3D theatrical re-release of Pan’s Labyrinth will use absolutely no artificial intelligence, arriving in theaters on October 9 through Cineverse and Fathom.
Twenty years after its initial theatrical run, Pan’s Labyrinth is heading back to the big screen with a meticulous 3D and HDR conversion overseen entirely by its director. As Hollywood continues to soften its stance on artificial intelligence, the 3x Oscar winner took the Hall H stage at San Diego Comic-Con to draw a hard line against generative tools, reinforcing his stance during the movie’s milestone anniversary panel.
Hand-Crafted Depth Over Automated Shortcuts
When converting the Spanish-language dark fantasy into 3D, the director faced a stark choice between speed and craft. Rather than taking automated routes, the filmmaker stating he converted the movie into 3D by hand and opted not to use AI.
“I chose good. You have to put in time. You have to do every element by hand. A human made a decision of depth.”
Guillermo del Toro
The choice carried a steeper financial toll, but del Toro made it clear that the re-release’s production choices prioritized human labor over cost-cutting measures, noting that it is much more expensive and that he does not care. Addressing the convention crowd to applause, he defended the decision with blunt force.
“What we’re protecting is the beauty and the redeeming power of art. It’s not about who gets the job. We are protecting a lineage of art. If we cut a generation of people from learning their craft, you’re cutting the rest of the history of that medium away from them for what?”
Guillermo del Toro
The explicit rejection of generative tools builds on previous statements from the Mexican auteur, who has frequently denounced generative AI and declared on more than one occasion, “Fuck AI!” Last year, del Toro told NPR that he is not interested in the technology, nor will he ever be interested, adding that he is 61 and hopes to remain uninterested in using it at all until he croaks, noting that when someone recently asked him his stance on AI via email, he responded that he’d “rather die.”
Theatrical Rollout and Anniversary Screenings
The landmark anniversary restoration arrives on October 9 in 4K, presented theatrically for the first time by Cineverse and Fathom, with versions available in both 3D and HDR by Barco, alongside a 2D HDR option. Each version has been overseen by del Toro himself, and tickets will be available to purchase on September 9.
The anniversary push follows a recent 4K festival screening at Cannes earlier this year, where the film was debuted to several minutes of applause. Two decades ago, the film made Cannes history of the longest standing ovation, totaling 22 minutes. Set in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, the gothic surrealism film follows a young girl named Ofelia, who flees the danger of 1944 Francoist Spain into a fantasy world and befriends a mysterious faun while navigating the realm of deadly beasts. Ivana Baquero stars as Ofelia alongside Doug Jones, Maribel Verdú, and Sergi López.
Overcoming Early Crew Skepticism
Reflecting on the original production during the Comic-Con panel, the auteur recalled that a lot of the crew was very skeptical and did not initially understand his wild vision of a dark fantasy set during the Spanish Civil War of 1936-’39.
“We had a lot of adversity in the movie. And a lot of the crew was very skeptical. They would see a faun come in in the middle of a civil war movie, and they would say, ‘This fucker is crazy.’ But I remember the first time I knew, we were shooting the Pale Man.”
Guillermo del Toro
The director re-enacted the now iconic moment of the Pale Man holding up his own eyes in his hands to see, noting that was the exact moment the crew was finally on board with his vision.
Legacy, Box Office, and Upcoming Companion Projects
Released in 2006, the original film earned $83 million worldwide at the box office and received six Oscar nominations, ultimately securing three Academy Awards wins for best makeup, cinematography, and art direction.
In addition to the theatrical rollout, del Toro teased an upcoming documentary that explores the process of creating the original film. The companion project features appearances and commentary from Jacob Elordi, Cate Blanchett, and Charlie Day.
Keep reading
