Pan’s Labyrinth AI ban: Del Toro says 3D rerelease was handmade
Guillermo del Toro said the 20th anniversary Pan’s Labyrinth rerelease used hand-crafted 3D conversion, not AI.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
2 min read
Guillermo del Toro made the Pan’s Labyrinth AI line plain at San Diego Comic-Con: the 20th anniversary theatrical rerelease was converted into 3D by hand, with no artificial intelligence used, Variety reported.
The filmmaker appeared at the convention to discuss the return of his 2006 dark fantasy, which is heading back to theaters on Oct. 9 in 3D and HDR for the first time. A 2D HDR version will also be offered, according to Variety.
Del Toro told the Comic-Con crowd that his instruction on the restoration was, “Absolutely no goddamn AI,” a remark that Variety said drew applause from the audience.
Did Pan’s Labyrinth 3D use AI?
No, according to Del Toro. He said the 3D conversion was done manually, with people making the depth choices shot by shot rather than turning the process over to AI tools.
Del Toro framed the decision as a defense of film craft. “What we’re protecting is the beauty and the redeeming power of art,” he said, according to Variety. He added that removing a generation’s chance to learn craft would cut them off from the history of the medium.
The director said the conversion presented a basic choice: do it fast or do it well. He said he chose the slower route, telling the panel that every element required hands-on work and that “a human made a decision of depth,” Variety reported.
What is included in the rerelease?
Cineverse and Fathom 4K will bring the anniversary edition to theaters, with Del Toro overseeing each version, according to Variety. Tickets are set to go on sale Sept. 9.
The Comic-Con presentation also included a tease of a documentary about the making of the original film. Variety reported that the documentary features appearances and commentary from Jacob Elordi, Cate Blanchett and Charlie Day.
Pan’s Labyrinth follows Ofelia, played by Ivana Baquero, a young girl who escapes the danger of 1944 Francoist Spain after the Spanish Civil War and enters a fantasy world. There, she meets a mysterious faun and encounters deadly creatures. Doug Jones, Maribel Verdú and Sergi López also star.
The film became one of Del Toro’s signature works after its 2006 release. Variety reported that it made $83 million worldwide and earned six Academy Award nominations, winning three Oscars for makeup, cinematography and art direction.
Del Toro also brought Pan’s Labyrinth back to Cannes earlier this year with a 4K restoration, which Variety said was received with several minutes of applause. The film had already made Cannes history two decades ago with a 22-minute standing ovation, according to the outlet.
This story draws on original reporting from Variety.