Guillermo del Toro

Made films the shows talk about.

Wikidata Q219124: matched by corpus:resolve, told apart by the only person by that name on Wikidata.

Counted as other. The films the hosts said they were tied to, which the two lists below run through too: Seven (1995); Thor (2011); (Oscars telecast); (comparison); Heavy Metal (unmade animated omnibus). Count them as director (12 films), craft (1 film) instead.

Draws on

What the speakers say they, or a film of theirs, drew on. Each is a speaker's account: “the maker said so” when they report the maker's own words, “the host's read” when the read is theirs.

Alfred Hitchcock: 1 line

  1. lineage (lineage) · through Seven (1995), which they were tied to as allegedly turned down directing: Alfred Hitchcock ⇒ Seven (the host's read). Se7en is a Hitchcock movie in its pulling-your-chain structure of mystery, reveal and anxiety, and Hitchcock is Fincher's biggest influence.
    “I think as much as this seems like a modern movie, it's also just completely a Hitchcock movie in so many ways.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘Se7en’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Chris Ryan · 0:14:30 · Sean Fennessey (0.85 sure it was them)

All That Jazz (1979): 1 line

  1. lineage (cited influence) · through Seven (1995), which they were tied to as allegedly turned down directing: All That Jazz ⇒ Seven (the maker said so). A host recalls a Fincher film the show covered where he cited All That Jazz as an inspiration for the look, maybe Seven.
    “where he cited how much of an inspiration all that jazz was for him for the look of the movie?”
    Blank Check — Patreon · David Fincher Music Videos · 1:13:07 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

J. Michael Straczynski: 1 line

  1. lineage (lineage) · through Thor (2011), which they were tied to as once attached to direct: J. Michael Straczynski ⇒ Thor (the host's read). The film borrows heavily from Straczynski's celebrated Thor run, including Thor spending time in the Midwest.
    “the celebrated Thor arc was J. Michael Stratinsky, which is this is borrowing from heavily.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Thor · 0:08:28 · David Sims (0.50 sure it was them)

Klute: 1 line

  1. lineage (visual inspiration) · through Seven (1995), which they were tied to as allegedly turned down directing: Klute ⇒ Seven (the maker said so). The speaker watched Klute because Fincher and DP Darius Khondji cited it as an inspiration for Se7en's dark look and flashlight-led framing.
    “I watched Clute over the weekend because I know that both Fincher and Darius Conji, the DP, had cited that as an inspiration”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Se7en with Mike Mitchell & Nick Wiger (Ad-Free) · 2:38:58 · Nick Wiger or Mike Mitchell (unresolved) (0.30 sure it was them)

Masters of the Universe (1987): 1 line

  1. lineage (lineage) · through Thor (2011), which they were tied to as once attached to direct: Masters of the Universe ⇒ Thor (the host's read). Thor is described as essentially a remake of the live-action Masters of the Universe.
    “It's mostly just a remake of the live action masters of the universe movie.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Thor · 0:03:54 · Griffin Newman (0.65 sure it was them)

Stan Lee: 1 line

  1. lineage (lineage) · through Thor (2011), which they were tied to as once attached to direct: Stan Lee ⇒ Thor (the host's read). The Donald Blake identity came from Stan Lee's 60s devotion to the secret-identity trope; the movie keeps it only as a fake ID gag.
    “in the 60s, Stanley was a little slavishly devoted to like the classic superhero comic trope, so you needed a secret identity”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Thor · 0:08:08 · David Sims (0.50 sure it was them)

William Friedkin: 1 line

  1. lineage (lineage) · through Seven (1995), which they were tied to as allegedly turned down directing: William Friedkin ⇒ Seven (the maker said so). Fincher drew from Friedkin and wanted it to feel like an episode of Cops.
    “he's drawn from like Friedkin, but he's also, he's, he's referenced like how he wanted it to feel like an episode of cops.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘Se7en’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Chris Ryan · 0:15:42 · Chris Ryan (0.50 sure it was them)

Drawn on by

What the speakers say drew on them or a film of theirs, marked the same way.

Fight Club (1999): 2 lines

  1. career (career) · through Seven (1995), which they were tied to as allegedly turned down directing: Seven ⇒ Fight Club (the host's read). Without Se7en's power Fincher does not get to do The Game and Fight Club his way.
    “I think without this movie, he doesn't go on this run”
    The Rewatchables · ‘Se7en’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Chris Ryan · 1:27:28 · Sean Fennessey (0.55 sure it was them)
  2. career (career lever) · through Seven (1995), which they were tied to as allegedly turned down directing: Seven ⇒ Fight Club (the host's read). Se7en's success is what let Fincher make the seemingly impossible Fight Club.
    “But the fight club is him more being like, okay, guys, I know this seems impossible, but I made seven.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Se7en with Mike Mitchell & Nick Wiger (Ad-Free) · 1:05:55 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

The Game (1997): 2 lines

  1. unmapped (R-rated proof) · through Seven (1995), which they were tied to as allegedly turned down directing: Seven ⇒ The Game (the host's read). Se7en's hit status as an R-rated film convinced the backers to fund The Game.
    “I think convinced, um, people like, okay, like, you can make an R-rated movie a hit.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:33:16 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
  2. unmapped (commercial lead-in) · through Seven (1995), which they were tied to as allegedly turned down directing: Seven ⇒ The Game (the host's read). Se7en's success gave Fincher an absurd budget for The Game.
    “this is better for me because now I can make this movie at an absurd budget.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:47:35 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)

8mm (1999): 1 line

  1. lineage (rip-off) · through Seven (1995), which they were tied to as allegedly turned down directing: Seven ⇒ 8mm (the host's read). Calls 8mm Schumacher ripping off Se7en.
    “8 millimeter is Schumacher ripping off seven.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:41:48 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)

MTV Movie Awards Se7en parody: 1 line

  1. unmapped (parody) · through Seven (1995), which they were tied to as allegedly turned down directing: Seven ⇒ MTV Movie Awards Se7en parody (the host's read). The MTV Movie Awards parodied the Se7en ending with William Shatner playing every role and the head in the box.
    “And then Shatner's head is in the box and then he sings a song.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Se7en with Mike Mitchell & Nick Wiger (Ad-Free) · 2:34:40 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)

Maestro (2023): 1 line

  1. unmapped (technique learned from) · them, directly: Guillermo del Toro ⇒ Maestro (the maker said so: a video with Guillermo del Toro). Cooper learned crane technique from del Toro and used it in the On the Town sequence.
    “executed magnificently in the on the town sequence in Maestro.”
    The Big Picture · Best Picture Power Rankings and a ‘Poor Things’ Deep Dive. Plus: Julianne Moore and Todd Haynes! · 0:17:17 · Amanda Dobbins (0.40 sure it was them)

Nine Inch Nails: 1 line

  1. lineage (lineage) · through Seven (1995), which they were tied to as allegedly turned down directing: Seven ⇒ Nine Inch Nails (the host's read). Se7en caught industrial rock at its peak and led to Fincher-Reznor scores.
    “Fincher and Rezner go on to make this incredible partnership”
    The Rewatchables · ‘Se7en’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Chris Ryan · 0:55:04 · Sean Fennessey (0.45 sure it was them)

Ron Perlman: 1 line

  1. career (career) · them, directly: Guillermo del Toro ⇒ Ron Perlman (the maker said so: Perlman talking about his career). Perlman says his American career was saved by Jeunet and Del Toro, who cast him in Cronos and City of Lost Children.
    “my American career was entirely saved by Gene and Del Toro.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Alien: Resurrection · 0:33:26 · Griffin Newman (0.50 sure it was them)

Saw (film series): 1 line

  1. unmapped (borrowing) · through Seven (1995), which they were tied to as allegedly turned down directing: Seven ⇒ Saw (film series) (the host's read). Rewatching the Saw movies, the speaker was struck by how much they lifted from Se7en.
    “I forgot how much saw stole.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Se7en with Mike Mitchell & Nick Wiger (Ad-Free) · 0:59:00 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)

The Batman (2022): 1 line

  1. unmapped (borrowing) · through Seven (1995), which they were tied to as allegedly turned down directing: Seven ⇒ The Batman (the host's read). The speaker had forgotten how indebted The Batman is to Fincher, mostly to Se7en.
    “I had forgotten just how indebted the Batman is to...”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Se7en with Mike Mitchell & Nick Wiger (Ad-Free) · 1:28:34 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

True Detective (2014): 1 line

  1. lineage (lineage) · through Seven (1995), which they were tied to as allegedly turned down directing: Seven ⇒ True Detective (the host's read). Se7en's influence shows in True Detective from the title sequence to the characters, though True Detective's first season flinches at the dark ending.
    “you can see the influence of of 7 on things like True Detective from the title sequence to the characters.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘Se7en’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Chris Ryan · 0:15:19 · Chris Ryan (0.55 sure it was them)

Zodiac (2007): 1 line

  1. unmapped (why Fincher was offered it) · through Seven (1995), which they were tied to as allegedly turned down directing: Seven ⇒ Zodiac (the host's read). Seven made Fincher the first choice for any serial-killer project, Zodiac included.
    “Ever since he makes seven, if there's some serial killer movie, is getting sent it”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Zodiac with Leslye Headland (Ad-Free) · 0:51:53 · Griffin Newman (0.50 sure it was them)

later crime thrillers and crime TV (unnamed): 1 line

  1. lineage (genre influence) · through Seven (1995), which they were tied to as allegedly turned down directing: Seven ⇒ later crime thrillers and crime TV (unnamed) (the host's read). As an adult the speaker is less shocked by Se7en because everyone since took a page out of its book.
    “I'm not as shocked by 7 because everyone took a page out of its book, of course.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Se7en with Mike Mitchell & Nick Wiger (Ad-Free) · 2:15:39 · Mike Mitchell (0.50 sure it was them)

What the speakers said they did

Directing (15) everyone in directing

Other (6) everyone in other

Craft (1) everyone in craft

What was said about them, by kind

career (2)

  1. career (passion project): Guillermo del Toro → Frankenstein. Del Toro has spent 30 years trying to make Frankenstein.
    “Guillermo Del Toro has been trying to make Frankenstein for 30 years.”
    The Big Picture · The 25 Best Movies of the Century: No. 11 - 'The Wolf of Wall Street’ · 0:26:56 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
  2. career (career): Ron Perlman → Guillermo del Toro. Perlman says his American career was saved by Jeunet and Del Toro, who cast him in Cronos and City of Lost Children.
    “my American career was entirely saved by Gene and Del Toro.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Alien: Resurrection · 0:33:26 · Griffin Newman (0.50 sure it was them)

industry (1)

  1. industry (parallel Disney deals): Guillermo del Toro → Henry Selick. Disney gave del Toro a spooky-movie imprint and Selick his own animation studio, investing in artists to form new Pixars.
    “And there was that Gimbla Toro Disney double dare you where they were like, we're giving you your own imprint to make spooky movies.”
    Blank Check with Griffin & David · Wendell & Wild · 0:45:17 · David Sims (0.50 sure it was them)

lineage (1)

  1. lineage (lineage): Mike Flanagan → Guillermo del Toro. Flanagan is to horror what del Toro is to fantasy.
    “like the way that Guillermo del Toro is related to fantasy”
    The Big Picture · The 10 Best Horror Movies of the Decade | The Big Picture · 0:08:12 · unknown (Alexander or Karaszewski) (0.40 sure it was them)

programming (1)

  1. programming (programming): Guillermo del Toro → Blade II. They want to do Del Toro and Blade II is David's favorite of the Blade films.
    “Blade 2 is one of your favorites.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Alien: Resurrection · 1:29:16 · Griffin Newman (0.50 sure it was them)

unmapped (2)

  1. unmapped (technique learned from): Maestro → Guillermo del Toro. Cooper learned crane technique from del Toro and used it in the On the Town sequence.
    “executed magnificently in the on the town sequence in Maestro.”
    The Big Picture · Best Picture Power Rankings and a ‘Poor Things’ Deep Dive. Plus: Julianne Moore and Todd Haynes! · 0:17:17 · Amanda Dobbins (0.40 sure it was them)
  2. unmapped (could-have-been-by): Poor Things → Guillermo del Toro. The creature story and design could have come from a del Toro film.
    “This could have been a Giroba Del Toro movie, honestly”
    The Big Picture · Best Picture Power Rankings and a ‘Poor Things’ Deep Dive. Plus: Julianne Moore and Todd Haynes! · 0:32:52 · Sean Fennessey (0.65 sure it was them)

verdict (2)

  1. verdict (underrated by consistency): Gene Hackman → Guillermo del Toro. Both are so reliably amazing that nobody is surprised, so they are under-rewarded.
    “Gene Hackman didn't get the amount of Oscar nominations that he deserved only because he because he was always amazing.”
    The Big Picture · ‘Nightmare Alley’ and Our Favorite Films Noir, With Patton Oswalt! · 0:35:12 · Sean Fennessey (0.80 sure it was them)
  2. verdict (verdict): Guillermo del Toro → Ernest Dickerson. Del Toro beat the lesser-known Dickerson.
    “Del Toro beat, uh, uh, Dickerson.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · 2025 March Madness Update 1 · 0:51:22 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)

what-if (2)

  1. what-if (what-if): Guillermo del Toro → Seven. Del Toro allegedly turned down directing as too dark; the hosts doubt it.
    “I don't know if I believe that one.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘Se7en’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Chris Ryan · 1:02:47 · Bill Simmons (0.45 sure it was them)
  2. what-if (what-if): Thor → Guillermo del Toro. Del Toro was attached post-Pan's Labyrinth but left for The Hobbit, which he also did not make.
    “Guillermo del Toro is brought in.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Thor · 0:26:18 · David Sims (0.45 sure it was them)

Fun items about them

None.