Guillermo Del Toro

Guillermo Del Toro might just have the most peculiar resume among Oscar-winning directors, or so it seemed a decade later.

Can you imagine a director known for his obsession with cult films and supernatural elements, someone who had even directed "Blade II", a film that the Oscar jury held in disdain? Could you ever envision him, in the years to come, triumphing over formidable rivals like "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri", "Green Book", and "Dunkirk" to seize the awards for Best Director and Best Picture with "The Shape of Water"?

No one, including himself, had ever dared to entertain such thoughts.

In his childhood, Guillermo was just a child with a vivid imagination. It wasn't until his father struck it rich overnight with a lottery win that his life took a strange turn. One can only wish for such a stroke of luck, to have the Midas touch for once.

To add a touch of sophistication to their home, his father purchased a multitude of books.

During his early years, Guillermo was quite the recluse, often engrossed in books, particularly those of the fantastical and spine-chilling variety. His early exposure to these niche, fringe cultural works made his interests seem quite distinct from those of ordinary people.

Edgar Allan Poe and H.P. Lovecraft were his two favorite authors, and at the tender age of seven, he even constructed a model of a human organ system to frighten people with.

As he grew older, his fervor for these interests transitioned into a deep fascination with the world of cinema. In his own words, "When I saw those captivating scenes or intriguing monsters, I couldn't help but envision bringing them to life on screen."

Guillermo initially began his career as a makeup artist, without any formal training, simply because he loved to read and had no love for academics.

Over the course of more than a decade on film sets, he dabbled in almost every department, from production to art direction to assistant directing, and nearly everything in between.

Once he felt he had gathered enough experience, he wrote and directed his own film, "Cronos", a Spanish-language production that garnered several awards in Mexico. However, his unconventional style failed to resonate with the market, and he found himself owing the distribution company a hefty $500,000 loan. He was also taken advantage of as there was no completion guarantee, and the marketing expenses were shouldered without his consent. Of course, if he hadn't agreed to this, they likely wouldn't have released it in theaters.

Later, the film was screened at the Cannes Film Festival and received international recognition, leading to the sale of overseas distribution rights. Without this turn of events, he might have found himself pursued by Mexican film companies, hounding him for debts. He even quipped, "At least I won't be going to jail now."

With his first foray behind him, it was only natural for him to embark on his second feature film.

But this time, he ventured into Hollywood and faced the full brunt of Hollywood's financial juggernaut.

The financing for "Mimic" came from Miramax, under the helm of the Weinstein brothers.

Harvey Weinstein was controlling and meddlesome, repeatedly interfering with Guillermo's creative freedom. Their disagreements nearly led to the film being canceled.

This painful creative ordeal prompted Guillermo to sneak back to Mexico once more.

At least in Mexico, he enjoyed creative freedom.

Subsequently, he released his third feature film, "The Devil's Backbone", another Spanish-language production.

The critical acclaim and strong box office performance led to yet another call from Hollywood.

Unable to resist, he accepted the opportunity to direct the comic book adaptation, "Blade II".

Although he wasn't involved in the writing and had producers looking over his shoulder, he still had some creative latitude, allowing him to infuse his peculiar tastes into the project.

The film performed well upon release, even surpassing its predecessor, prompting New Line Cinema to approach him for "Blade: Trinity". Guillermo declined, as he yearned to work on his own projects, in genres that he truly loved.

As a result, he found himself at odds with New Line Cinema.

...

In the outskirts of Los Angeles, "Bleak House", Guillermo's Hollywood studio, welcomed a new visitor.

"Hey, George, long time no see." Guillermo, a bit plump and wearing glasses, greeted.

"Gordo, you look even plumper than before," George joked.

"What can I do for you?" Guillermo inquired seriously amidst their banter.

"Well, you see..."

After George finished speaking, Guillermo fell into deep thought.

Naturally, George was talking about joining Firefly Films, while Guillermo was contemplating the advantages of such a move.

He was a director, occasionally moonlighting as an art director, and he was well-respected in the industry. After all, there were few who excelled at his unique style as he did.

He was aware that the genres he loved were not the ones favored by the masses. Essentially, most of the films he directed struggled to turn a profit. Even now, after running around for over a month with the script in hand, despite the decent performance of "Blade II", very few were willing to invest in his projects.

And that's where the Firefly Films, founded by Lyman, came into the picture.

Recently, "Saw" had made a big splash, catching Guillermo's attention.

Guillermo had been quite curious about Lyman and even held a degree of admiration for him.

He had been in the Hollywood film circle for over a decade, yet the films he directed still went largely unnoticed. In contrast, Lyman had only been in the industry for two years and had already made a name for himself, even starting his own film company.

When you made such a comparison, how could Guillermo not have any thoughts about it?

Moreover, he was a Mexican in an industry where America's exclusionary tendencies were well-known. Discrimination was not uncommon among the crew members. Surely, Lyman must have faced similar challenges.

But despite it all, he had still managed to build a successful career and gain recognition from others. That was truly remarkable.

Most importantly, his new project was struggling to secure financing, while there was a possibility that Lyman might be interested in investing. In fact, based on this alone, Guillermo had every reason to meet with Lyman.

And indeed, that's what Guillermo did.

That afternoon, he followed George to the headquarters of Firefly Films.

"Mr. Lattes, hello." Upon seeing Lyman, Guillermo immediately extended his hand for a handshake.

Although the man before him was younger in age, Guillermo had decent emotional intelligence. He was just uncompromising when it came to movies, and his aesthetic preferences were unwavering. Not everything could make him care deeply.

At least, at this moment, he adopted a humble attitude.

In terms of achievements and credentials, Lyman outshone him.

"Hello, please have a seat inside. Laura, pour Mr. Del Toro a cup of coffee."

The three of them went into the office and took their seats.

Guillermo spoke again, "Just Gordo. Mr. Lattes, I heard that you're looking to establish a production department for your company and are in need of talent, is that correct?"

"Just Lyman. That's right, I'd like to invite your studio to join Firefly. I don't want ownership; it would be more like an affiliation, a mutually beneficial collaboration. What do you think? James Wan, the director, do you know him? He's in a similar situation. We can help with finding distribution partners and share the investment burden for his projects. It's a win-win."

"I can agree to that, but I have a script on hand. Are you willing to invest in it?"