If there’s one thing Guillermo del Toro how’s to make, it’s a creature feature. The writer/director behind Pan’s Labyrinth, Pacific Rim, and Hellboy obviously has an affinity for on-screen monsters, and his latest effort — The Shape of Water — definitely looks like a new classic in the genre.
The monster movie/romance had a distinct air of mystery to it when we saw the first trailer, but the newly released red-band trailer does a much better job at showing off everything the film has to offer. It’s far more intense, far more action-packed, and gives a much better look at the monster than the previous trailer — all good things. The film, which takes place during the Cold War in 1962, tells the story of a secret government project that results in a humanoid aquatic creature — one who bears a strong resemblance to Creature from the Black Lagoon‘s Gill-man and Abe Sapien from Hellboy — that subsequently falls in love with a lonely woman who works there. It’s being billed as a modern dark fairy tale, which is music to the ears of Pan’s Labyrinth fans, and in typical del Toro fashion will likely show that humans are the worst monsters of all. Check out the new look below.
Sally Hawkins portrays Elisa, the woman who falls for the monster, which is unsurprisingly is played by del Toro mainstay Doug Jones. Octavia Spencer co-stars as Elisa’s friend and co-worker, while Michael Shannon is the villainous executive from the program. Overall the film features a great cast, an interesting original story, and a cool-looking monster. Del Toro, you’ve done it again.
The Shape of Water hits theaters on December 8.
