Guillermo Del Toro has once again decried the use of AI, saying the upcoming Pan’s Labyrinth re-release was restored by hand.
The iconic fantasy director – who has previously said AI is capable of creating “semi-compelling screensavers” and little else – appeared at San Diego Comic-Con to discuss the upcoming 20th anniversary of Pan’s Labyrinth, which returns to theatres in 3D and HDR for the first time on October 9.
Addressing the audience, he said he converted the film into 3D by hand and opted not to use the controversial technology. “Obviously, I said, ‘Absolutely no goddamn AI,’” he said, which was met with cheers from the audience.
“What we’re protecting is the beauty and the redeeming power of art. It’s not about who gets the job. We are protecting a lineage of art. If we cut a generation of people from learning their craft, you’re cutting the rest of the history of that medium away from them for what?”
When doing the conversion, del Toro said he had two options: to do so quickly, or to do it well, and he chose the latter, saying: “You have to put in time. You have to do every element by hand. A human made a decision of depth.”
The contentious technology has continued to divide creatives across music and film, with everyone from Backrooms director Kane Parsons to Pope Leo XIV condemning its use.
When speaking to NPR last year, del Toro made it clear that he wasn’t remotely interested in the tech and said he’d “rather die” than use AI.
“AI, particularly generative AI — I am not interested, nor will I ever be interested,” he told the publication. “I’m 61, and I hope to be able to remain uninterested in using it at all until I croak. … The other day, somebody wrote me an email, said, ‘What is your stance on AI?’ And my answer was very short. I said, ‘I’d rather die.’”
Elsewhere during the panel, del Toro teased a documentary that explores the process of creating the original film, which features appearances and commentary from Jacob Elordi, Cate Blanchett and Charlie Day.
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