Del Toro rejects AI in film, keeps practical effects for Frankenstein

Guillermo del Toro said he would rather die than use generative artificial intelligence in his films, reiterating his opposition while promoting his new adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. The Oscar-winning director recently made the remarks during interviews and public appearances ahead of the film’s release on Netflix, arguing that the technology threatens the craft and that its unchecked adoption reflects a broader arrogance akin to his story’s cautionary figure, Victor Frankenstein.

“I’d rather die,” del Toro said when asked about his stance, adding that he is 61 and hopes to remain uninterested in using generative AI until he dies. He framed his objection less as a fear of the machines themselves and more as a worry about human error and hubris, saying that “natural stupidity” is what drives many harmful outcomes. He drew a parallel between the fictional scientist’s blind ambition and what he described as some technologists’ readiness to create without considering consequences.

Del Toro has emphasized for years a preference for practical, handmade filmmaking and said this production was no exception. He described the film’s sets, costumes and a large-scale explosion...