At the Toronto International Film Festival, Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro opened up about the personal themes driving his next creative chapter. Speaking after the North American premiere of his long-awaited adaptation of Frankenstein, del Toro declared, “I’m in the regret decade.” Now 60, the filmmaker reflected on how his evolving perspective as a father and son is shaping his work.
Del Toro’s Frankenstein, adapted from Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel, features Oscar Isaac as Dr. Frankenstein and Jacob Elordi as the Creature. Del Toro described the film as deeply personal, revealing that what began as a literary adaptation soon transformed into a story layered with his own emotional history. “I started telling a tale of fathers and sons—and slowly realized it was about my experiences as both,” he shared.
But Frankenstein is just the beginning. Del Toro hinted at several upcoming projects that continue exploring themes of loss, legacy, and emotional reckoning. One is Fury, described as a “violent dinner drama” starring Oscar Isaac, which del Toro says channels both personal rage and domestic tension. Another is a yet-untitled “epic” stop-motion animated feature, following the success of his acclaimed Pinocchio adaptation.
While he didn’t reveal plot details, del Toro emphasized that these new works are deeply rooted in emotion. “Regret is incredibly fertile ground,” he said. “There’s poetry in pain. And if you survive it, you can tell stories about it.”
Fans of the Mexican director, known for blending fantasy, horror, and heart in films like Pan’s Labyrinth and The Shape of Water, can expect his upcoming slate to push boundaries both thematically and visually. With age, del Toro seems more reflective—but also more daring than ever.
“The worst thing is to feel you wasted time,” he concluded. “The best thing is to use that feeling to create something truthful.”
With Frankenstein already generating buzz and more ambitious projects on the way, Guillermo del Toro’s so-called “Regret Decade” may become one of his most powerful yet.
