4 Minutes
Del Toro’s firm stance on generative AI
Guillermo del Toro — the Oscar-winning director known for The Shape of Water and Pan's Labyrinth — has made headlines again, this time by declaring he would "rather die" than use generative artificial intelligence in his films. Speaking while promoting his new Frankenstein adaptation, del Toro framed his refusal not as technophobia but as a moral and aesthetic choice: machines, he argues, cannot reproduce the ethical reflections and human textures that define great cinema.
From Mary Shelley to modern tech hubris
Del Toro draws a direct line between Mary Shelley’s cautionary tale and today's AI boom. He likened the arrogance of some tech developers to Victor Frankenstein’s blind ambition — creating without regard for consequences. That comparison gives his comments a literary weight: the Frankenstein myth is, for him, a mirror for contemporary creative ethics. In del Toro’s upcoming Frankenstein, the creature is reimagined as a tragic Romantic hero, rooted in 19th-century sensibilities rather than cold scientific hubris.
Del Toro also shared intimate memories that shaped his fascination with death and monsters: the comfort of his grandmother’s nighttime prayers, a childhood in a house he calls a "magical palace" filled with books and odd animals after his father won a lottery in 1969, and a first viewing of the 1931 Frankenstein at age seven — an experience he calls formative for his artistic path.
.avif)
Context: why this matters for cinema
The debate over generative AI is one of the film industry's most divisive topics. Studios and VFX houses are increasingly experimenting with AI tools for previsualization, de-aging, and background generation, while writers and artists warn of lost jobs and diluted authorship. Del Toro's advocacy for practical effects and human-driven storytelling aligns him with a growing cohort of filmmakers who prefer traditional techniques — think Christopher Nolan's insistence on practical stunts and prosthetic effects rather than fully CGI creations.
Comparisons and critical perspective
Del Toro's monster-as-hero approach recalls his own The Shape of Water, where the non-human protagonist challenges audience sympathies. It also contrasts with contemporary films that explore AI philosophically — such as Alex Garland's Ex Machina — where machine intelligence is central to the plot rather than a production tool. Critics will watch whether del Toro’s hands-on, anti-AI stance limits or enriches his Frankenstein: will the tactile, romantic textures he favors help this version stand out among 2025’s horror slate?
Trivia fans will appreciate small details: del Toro’s longstanding obsession with death and monsters began in early childhood, and he still credits classic Universal horror as a touchstone. Fans online have largely supported his position, praising his defense of the artisan filmmaker, though some argue that responsibly managed AI could be a useful tool.
Del Toro closes with a personal vow: at 61, he hopes to remain uninterested in generative AI for the rest of his life. Whether that vow becomes a manifesto for other directors or a solitary artistic choice remains to be seen — but it guarantees that his Frankenstein will be one of the most watched and debated films in the coming season.
In the end, del Toro’s position is as much about creative authorship as it is about technology: a plea to consider what kind of cinema we want to make and remember that monsters in stories often reflect the makers who create them.
Leave a Comment