James Cameron Convinced del Toro to Cut 7 Minutes from Frankenstein
The acclaimed director reveals how his trusted circle of filmmaker friends, including Cameron, helped shape his latest Netflix adaptation through brutal honesty and tough creative decisions.
Guillermo del Toro just dropped some behind-the-scenes details about his latest Frankenstein adaptation. The director says James Cameron pushed him to remove a seven-minute sequence that del Toro called "beautiful."
Speaking at the Palm Springs International Film Festival, del Toro explained his unique approach to getting feedback. "What I do – because we don't test the movies – I show it to the 14, 16 most brilliant friends I know, and I'm blessed with good friendships," he told reporters.
A Circle of Trusted Voices
That inner circle reads like a who's who of Hollywood directors. Alfonso Cuarón, Alejandro Iñárritu, Cameron, Rian Johnson, and Steven Spielberg all weigh in on del Toro's projects. The arrangement comes with one strict rule: complete honesty.
"A lot of people see the movie, they tell me what they think, and we have the agreement to be brutal," del Toro said. When Cameron suggested cutting the scene, del Toro didn't push back. "Jim came in and he said, 'Look, there's this section' – which is not in the movie anymore – 'This is beautiful, but you gotta take it out.'"
Two Decades in the Making
The Frankenstein project represents a longtime dream for del Toro. He's been trying to bring this version to life for almost twenty years. Oscar Isaac takes on the role of the mad scientist, while Jacob Elordi plays the Creature.
Elordi sees the film as deeply personal for del Toro. "It definitely highlights the personal over the scientific," the actor explained. "To me, it's a biography of Guillermo's."
Cameron's Latest Success
Meanwhile, Cameron's own recent project, Avatar: Fire and Ash, just hit theaters. The latest installment introduces new threats to the Sully family, including the Mangkwan tribe and their leader Varang, who's teamed up with Colonel Miles Quaritch.
Del Toro's willingness to accept tough feedback from his filmmaker friends shows how collaborative the creative process can be at the highest levels. Sometimes the hardest cuts make the biggest difference.