Guillermo del Toro

Writer, Producer, Director

Birthdate: Oct 9, 1964

Birthplace: Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico

Guillermo del Toro was born October 9, 1964 in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. Raised by his Catholic grandmother, del Toro developed an interest in filmmaking in his early teens. Later, he learned about makeup and effects from the legendary Dick Smith (The Exorcist (1973)) and worked on making his own short films. At the age of 21, del Toro executive produced his first feature, Dona Herlinda and Her Son (1985). Del Toro spent almost 10 years as a makeup supervisor, and formed his own company, Necropia in the early 1980s. He also produced and directed Mexican television programs at this time, and taught film.

Del Toro got his first big break when Cronos (1992) won nine Ariel Awards (the Mexican equivalent of the Oscars), then went on to win the International Critics Week Prize at Cannes. Following this success, del Toro made his first Hollywood film, Mimic (1997), starring Mira Sorvino.

Del Toro had some unfortunate experiences working with a demanding Hollywood studio on Mimic (1997), and returned to Mexico to form his own production company, The Tequila Gang.

Next for del Toro, was The Devil's Backbone (2001), a Spanish Civil War ghost story. The film was hailed by critics and audiences alike, and del Toro decided to give Hollywood another try. In 2002, he directed the Wesley Snipes vampire sequel, Blade II (2002).

On a roll, Del Toro followed up Blade II (2002) with another successful comic-book inspired film, Hellboy (2004), starring one of Del Toro's favorite actors, Ron Perlman.

Del Toro is divorced, has a daughter and a son and lives in Los Angeles and Toronto.

Known For

Pan's Labyrinth
Pan's Labyrinth

(2006)

Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio
Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio

(2022)

Guillermo del Toro Movies

actor

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Previous (37)

  • 2025 |
    Frankenstein
  • 2025 |
    Surrealistic Nightmares: An In-depth Look at Walloon Horror Cinema
  • 2023 |
    Hideo Kojima: Connecting Worlds
  • 2022 |
    Mike Mignola: Drawing Monsters
  • 2021 |
    Boris Karloff: The Man Behind the Monster
  • 2021 |
    Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans
  • 2020 |
    Segrelles. Ilustrador Universal.
  • 2018 |
    Ayotzinapa, El paso de la Tortuga
  • 2017 |
    When Romero Met Del Toro
  • 2015 |
    Creature Designers - The Frankenstein Complex
  • 2015 |
    The Thin Yellow Line
  • 2013 |
    Extraordinary Talesas Narrator (segment "The Pit and the Pendulum")
  • 2014 |
    The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
  • 2013 |
    Gahan Wilson: Born Dead, Still Weird
  • 2013 |
    The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
  • 2013 |
    Drew: The Man Behind the Poster
  • 2011 |
    Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope
  • 2011 |
    Ray Harryhausen: Special Effects Titan
  • 2011 |

    Puss in Boots

    asMoustache Man
  • 2010 |
    Don't Be Afraid of the Dark
  • 2009 |
    Rage
  • 2010 |
    Julia's Eyes
  • 2009 |
    Viva la muerte! Autopsie du nouveau cinéma fantastique espagnol
  • 2008 |
    Rudo y Cursi
  • 2008 |
    El último truco
  • 2008 |
    Insignificant Things
  • 2008 |
    Lovecraft: Fear of the Unknown
  • 2008 |
    Hellboy II: The Golden Army
  • 2004 |
    Cronicas
  • 2004 |
    'Hellboy': The Seeds of Creation
  • 2003 |
    Noin
  • 2002 |
    Blade II
  • 2001 |
    The Devil's Backbone
  • 2000 |
    Bullfighteras Bullboy #2
  • 1998 |
    Un embrujo
  • 1997 |
    Mimic
  • 1992 |
    Cronos

director

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Previous (8)

  • 2025 |

    Frankenstein

  • 2021 |

    Nightmare Alley

  • 2019 |

    Hellboy

  • 2017 |

    The Shape of Water

  • 2015 |

    Crimson Peak

  • 2013 |

    Pacific Rim

  • 2008 |

    Hellboy II: The Golden Army

  • 2006 |

    Pan’s Labyrinth

producer

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Previous (5)

  • 2021 |

    Antlers

  • 2019 |

    Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark

  • 2018 |

    Pacific Rim: Uprising

  • 2014 |

    The Book of Life

  • 1990 |

    The Witches

writer

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Guillermo del Toro News