James Cameron’s Key Role in Launching Famous Director’s First Film 32 Years Ago!

Guillermo del Toro is now an iconic figure in Hollywood, with classics like “The Shape of Water,” “Pan’s Labyrinth,” and “Hellboy” to his name. But did you know that the multi-Academy Award-winning Mexican filmmaker, whose “Frankenstein” recently debuted on Netflix, might never have broken into the industry without the help of James Cameron?

While speaking at Konbini’s Video Club, Guillermo del Toro, who has strong opinions on Artificial Intelligence, discussed his long-standing friendship with James Cameron. He highlighted how Cameron was instrumental in kickstarting his illustrious career.

“James is my brother. We became brothers some 20… No, no, 30-something years ago… I met him in 1991? 1992?”, Guillermo del Toro hesitates, showing that their friendship has lasted so long that he struggles to pinpoint its exact start. “We liked each other right away. I don’t know why he liked me, but I know why I liked him: because he’s a genius.”

“I lived with him for a long time, we watched ‘animes’ together”

“I lived with him for a long time, we watched ‘animes’ together”, Del Toro continues. “He introduced me to ‘Patlabor’, I introduced him to ‘Gunnm’. And then he helped me sell ‘Cronos’. Nobody wanted it back then, and he said ‘I’ll find you an agent to sell it’.” It doesn’t get much cooler than that.

Released in theaters in 1993, the horror film “Cronos” tells the story of an alchemist in the 16th century who creates a bizarre device that grants eternal life. This device, the Cronos device, is discovered in modern-day Mexico by an elderly antique dealer. The object injects him with a potent venom that restores his strength and youth but makes him dependent on human blood and turns him into a monster.

Trailer for “Cronos,” Guillermo del Toro’s debut feature film: