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These 5 movies prove Guillermo del Toro is king of the monsters
Guillermo del Toro has brought many monsters to life, and these movies show that no other director understands how limitless movie monsters can be.
These 5 movies prove Guillermo del Toro is king of the monsters
[Frankensteins Monster looks over his shoulder in Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein]
Nathan Graham-Lowery
Mar 1, 2026, 2:30 PM EST
Nathan earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Film Studies in 2021, and has since been a Freelance Journalist with four years of experience, having penned over 2000 articles ranging from breaking news to in-depth editorials.
He joined How-To-Geek in 2025 as a contributor to the Streaming section, shining a light on hidden gems and useful tips of the Streaming landscape.
When not keeping up with the latest streaming releases and biggest productions, Nathan is a passionate artist, eager cosplayer, and enthusiastic gamer.
Guillermo del Toro is one of the most celebrated filmmakers in modern Hollywood, who has built up an incredible reputation for making the uncanny beloved. The director has tackled a wide range of genres through his unique lens, championing the practical work of artists while calling out unfair practices. Del Toro is beloved within the industry and by audiences across the world.
Across his filmography, monsters have often been the center of del Toro's focus. Sometimes they are terrifying forces who threaten the world; in others, they are simply trying to live their lives. Here are five examples that show why del Toro is the master of cinematic monsters:
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Hellboy
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Streaming on Netflix
In 2004, del Toro dealt with a devil as he brought the world of Mike Mignola's Hellboy to the screen. Brought to Earth as a baby in the waning days of World War II, Ron Perlman's titular comic book hero protects humanity from supernatural threats as part of the BRPD, from loose beasts to undead apocalypse-worshipping Nazi occultists. Between visual effects that hold up to this day and strong action sequences, del Toro's Hellboy makes the audience root for the monster.
Furthermore, in Hellboy, del Toro characterized a literal demon who is a fallible but good-hearted hero, despite his appearance being traditionally associated with villainy. Hellboy was brought to Earth to literally bring the apocalypse, yet the love of his adoptive father, Dr. Broom (John Hurt), and his companions during his upbringing allows him to avert his destiny. As such, del Toro states that humanity is a choice and evil isn't inherent, meaning that even those with darker roots can do good.
[01162636_poster_w780.jpg]
PG-13
Fantasy
Action
Adventure
Sci-Fi
Release Date
April 2, 2004
Runtime
122 minutes
Director
Guillermo del Toro
Cast
Ron Perlman
Hellboy
Selma Blair
Elizabeth 'Liz' Sherman
[Cast Placeholder Image]
Doug Jones
Abraham 'Abe' Sapien
John Hurt
Prof. Trevor 'Broom' Bruttenholm
Writers
Guillermo del Toro, Peter Briggs, Mike Mignola
Producers
Lawrence Gordon, Lloyd Levin, Mike Richardson
Main Genre
Action
Franchise
Hellboy
Cinematographer
Lorenzo Senatore
Producer
Lawrence Gordon, Matthew O'Toole, Lloyd Levin, Les Weldon, Philip Westgren, Mike Richardson, Carl Hampe, John Thompson
Production Company
Dark Horse Entertainment, Lawrence Gordon Productions
Sfx Supervisor
Steven Begg, Matt Kasmir, Markus Degen, Dominik Trimborn, John Haley, James Cooper, Chris RitvoLuis Tinoco, Veselina Georgieva, Richard Clarke, Chris MacLean, Martin Georgiev
Budget
$66 million
Executive Producer(s)
Patrick J. Palmer
**](https://screenrant.com/db/movie/hellboy/)
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Pan's Labyrinth
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Available to rent or purchase through Prime Video
In comparison, Pan's Labyrinthis a far more fantastical but tonally darker affair. As Ivana Baquero's young Ofelia is tasked with completing three feats when she stumbles into a magical labyrinth, she is also witness to growing atrocities committed during conflicts throughout the Francoist regime's reign in 1944 Spain. While Ofelia dives deeper into the magical realm, she too becomes more involved in the war until the movie brings both threads together in its climax.
Written as a parable, what happens in the magical realm of Pan's Labyrinth coincides with the heightening tensions in Spain, as Ofelia's stepfather, Vidal (Sergi Lopez), commits more brutal actions to maintain control. The insatiable greed of the Pale Man, who never needs to eat yet consumes thieves, is introduced just as Vidal tightens restrictions on rationing in the area to punish insurgents, much to the suffering of the civilians. Hellboy asked us to humanize monsters. In Pan's Labyrinth, del Toro uses the creatures to represent and visualize what humanity is capable of, for better or worse.
[Pans Labyrinth Movie Poster]
War
Drama
Fantasy
Release Date
January 19, 2007
Runtime
118 minutes
Director
Guillermo del Toro
Cast
Sergi López
Doug Jones
Ivana Baquero
Ariadna Gil
Writers
Guillermo del Toro
Budget
$19 Million
Studio(s)
Warner Bros. Pictures
Distributor(s)
Warner Bros. Pictures
**](https://screenrant.com/db/movie/pan-s-labyrinth/)
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Pacific Rim
####
Available to rent or purchase through Prime Video
Of course, sometimes monsters can best serve as representing an external force that humanity must directly take on, which del Toro explored in 2013's Pacific Rim. When gigantic interdimensional monsters, Kaiju, begin rampaging across the world, humanity is defended by the Jaegers, colossal mechs driven by two telepathically linked pilots. When Charlie Hunnam's washed-up pilot Raleigh Becket is paired with Rinko Kikuchi's Mako Mori, the pair must work through their traumas to open up and save the world.
Much like how Godzilla and its many retellingswere developed as a response to Japan's trauma over the threat of disasters and nuclear weaponry, del Toro's Kaiju also represent an existential threat to humanity. The Jaegers require pilots to fully embrace and trust one another to save the world, with the Kaiju being a force that can only be beaten through "togetherness." Pacific Rim embraces the rich symbolic potential that the kaiju movie subgenre has to offer in representing how even the greatest, most existential, and overwhelming threats to humanity can be overcome.
[01292618_poster_w780.jpg]
PG-13
Action
Science Fiction
Adventure
Release Date
July 12, 2013
Runtime
131 minutes
Director
Guillermo del Toro
Cast
Charlie Hunnam
Raleigh Becket
Rinko Kikuchi
Mako Mori
Idris Elba
Stacker Pentecost
Max Martini
Herc Hansen
Writers
Guillermo del Toro, Travis Beacham
Producers
Jon Jashni, Mary Parent
Sequel(s)
Pacific Rim: Uprising
Franchise(s)
Pacific Rim
Main Genre
Action
Budget
$180 million
Studio(s)
Warner Bros. Pictures
Distributor(s)
Warner Bros. Pictures
Executive Producer(s)
Callum Greene
**](https://screenrant.com/db/movie/pacific-rim/)
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The Shape of Water
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Streaming on HBO Max
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