Guillermo del Toro is one of the best visionaries of all time in filmmaking. Having won two Oscars for producing and directing The Shape of Water in 2017, he became one of the greatest talents in modern history. TechTrends put together a list of the best Guillermo del Toro movies.
Guillermo del Toro has most recently released the movie Pinocchio, which is an adaptation of the 1883 book of the same name written by Carlo Collodi. It has earned a lot of critical acclaim, with the director proving once again how capable he is. Many consider the amazing filmmaker quite “rare”, with an incredible filmography. He started his career in his home country with movies like Cronos and The Devil’s Backbone. Following that, he took it to Hollywood and created blockbusters such as Hellboy and Pacific Rim. He then went on to make Oscar winners Pan’s Labyrinth and The Shape of Water.
If there were more filmmakers like him, Hollywood would be a greater place. In celebration of his fruitful career, we have narrowed down a list of the best Guillermo del Toro movies of all time.
Best Guillermo Del Toro Movies, Ranked
Guillermo del Toro is a Mexican filmmaker who hit the Oscar jackpot when he directed The Shape of Water, which won Best Picture and Best Director award. However, this is only one in the long list of his greatest movies. Let’s get to the best Guillermo del Toro movies ever without further ado.
11. Mama 2013
- Genre: Horror/Thriller
- Producer: Andrés Muschietti
- Stars: Jessica Chastain, Isabelle Nélisse, Megan Charpentier, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Jane Moffat
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 63%, IMDb 6.2
One of the best Guillermo Del Toro movies ever is the 2013 horror Mama, where Jessica Chastain performs as Annabel. She is in a rock band, but she agrees to take care of her boyfriend’s nieces named Victoria and Lily. The kids were found after five years of going missing in a remote cabin. Their conditions are deplorable, and Jeffrey and Annabel take them into custody. She slowly builds a motherly instinct toward the children. Annabel never even dreamed of being a mother, but she is thrown into this unexpected maternal role. Things begin to take a turn when a mysterious unseen entity, who they call Mama, comes along.
Read more: Best Horror Movies of All Time
10. Pacific Rim 2013
- Genre: Sci-fi/Action
- Director: Guillermo del Toro
- Stars: Charlie Day, Charlie Hunnam, Rinko Kikuchi, Idris Elba, Burn Gorman, Ron Perlman
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 72%, IMDb 6.9
Another one of the best Guillermo del Toro movies that was released in 2013 is Pacific Rim. This movie introduced the audience with world of giant monsters that exist beyond Godzilla. The term Kaiju also became popular with this movie. The story revolves around battles between Jaegers and Kaiju, with the two having incredible looks and design, which was quite imaginative on the director’s part. Monstrous creatures named Kaiju came from the sea a long time ago and along with them came war. Mankind had to go against Kaiju with robots named Jaegers that could run by two pilots getting locked together in a neural bridge. With the humanity coming to a defeat, all hopes are on ex-pilot, played by Charlie Hunnam, and untested trainee, portrayed by Rinko Kikuchi, who is an old Jaeger. Do not miss this incredible movie directed by Guillermo del Toro.
Read more: Best Sci-fi Movies of All Time
9. Crimson Peak 2015
- Genre: Horror/Fantasy
- Director: Guillermo del Toro
- Stars: Jessica Chastain, Tom Hiddleston, Mia Wasikowska, Charlie Hunnam
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 73%, IMDb 6.5
The movie Crimson Peak is about a house that is possessed by its own living spirit. The leading character is Mia Wasikowska, and she plays the role of a writer who falls in love with British royalty. Chastain portrays the villainous role of the lead male character’s sister. She is eager for new love. Crimson Peak is one of the best Guillermo Del Toro movies ever. After playing in horror movies like Mama and It Chapter Two, Chastain showed that she could be the protagonist fighting evil. Her character’s name is Lucille Sharpe. The movie is a mixture of romance and horror, and the director does a masterpiece in bringing his favorite genre to life.
Read more: Best Tom Hiddleston Movies of All Time
8. Hellboy 2004
- Genre: Fantasy/Action
- Director: Guillermo del Toro
- Stars: Ron Perlman, Sela Blair, Doug Jones, John Hurt, Rupert Evans, Karel Roden
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 81%, IMDb 6.8
Due to the fact that we live in a time that sci-fi movies are gaining lots of audience, which means there are plenty of great movies out there, it is easy to take Hellboy for granted. However, in 2004, it was a great uphill battle and director Guillermo del Toro was able to accomplish a great deal while staying true to Mike Mignola’s comic. The veteran actor Ron Perlman is playing the lead character. Moreover, he nailed his role with Hellboy’s working-class attitude. The talented director did not have to change anything about Hellboy, or give him powers to make his character relatable. And, that is worth noticing. We recommend this as another one of the best Guillermo del Toro movies of all time.
7. Hellboy II: The Golden Army 2008
- Genre: Fantasy/Action
- Director: Guillermo del Toro
- Stars: Ron Perlman, Sela Blair, Doug Jones, Luke Goss, Anna Walton, James Dodd, John Hurt
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 86%, IMDb 7
Another one of the best Guillermo del Toro movies of all time on the list is Hellboy II: The Golden Army. This sequel was much better than the first movie as it appeared as the movie Hellboy was always supposed to be with the big red guy being the lead and a colorful cast around him. The director’s love for big monsters can easily be seen in this movie. What makes this film great is that underneath the comic book material, the audience can see a movie that is taking into account the place of the supernatural in our world. This film is richer and more thoughtful, while not losing sight of the amazing characters. Del Toro did an amazing job in delivering what he had in mind and made this one of his greatest films.
6. Cronos 1993
- Genre: Horror/Drama
- Director: Guillermo del Toro
- Stars: Ron Perlman, Federico Luppi, Tamara Shanath, Margarita Isabel
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 89%, IMDb 6.7
The outline of what Guillermo del Toro was going to put out there could be seen in his first feature. The filmmaker started to find his voice with the help of Cronos. The film revolves around an antique dealer named Jesus Gris, stumbling across Cronos, which is a 400-year-old scarab. When he latches onto Cronos, he becomes young, with an eternal life. However, he craves for blood. Although he is enjoying his newfound vitality, he does not know that a dying man named Dieter de la Guardia is looking for that scarab. He sent his nephew Angel to find it. Obviously, Jesus is not willing to give up immortality that easily as he even risks his orphan granddaughter’s life. This is yet another one of the best Guillermo del Toro movies of all time.
5. Nightmare Alley 2021
- Genre: Thriller/Drama
- Director: Guillermo del Toro
- Stars: Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Toni Collette, Paul Anderson
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 80%, IMDb 7
Bradley Cooper worked with acclaimed director Guillermo del Toro for the first time in the movie Nightmare Alley, where he is as dark and conflicted as he has ever been. He plays the role of a con man with a corrupted soul that is beyond reclamation. Moreover, he manipulates everyone around him quite effortlessly. In addition, he has great chemistry with Cate Blanchett, which only adds to his impact. The movie is an adaptation of the 1947 film with the same name. Cooper is a co-producer on the movie and makes this one of the best Guillermo del Toro movies of all time. Make sure to add it to your watchlist as we strongly recommend it.
Read more: Best Bradley Cooper Movies of All Time
4. The Shape of Water 2017
- Genre: Fantasy/Romance
- Director: Guillermo del Toro
- Star: Sally Hawkins, Doug Jones, Octavia Spencer, Richard Jenkins, Michael Shannon, Michael Stuhlbarg
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 92%, IMDb 7.3
The Shape of Water is yet another one of the best movies directed by Guillermo del Toro. The story revolves around Elisa, who is a mute, isolated woman. She works as a cleaning lady in a laboratory that is highly secure by the government in the 1962. When she finds out about a classified secret, her life turns around. The secret is a mysterious creature from South America that is in a water tank. The new friend and Elisa bond with one another and she soon realizes that its survival is in the hands of an agent and a marine biologist.
Read more: Best Romance Movies of All Time
3. The Devil’s Backbone 2001
- Genre: Horror/Drama
- Director: Guillermo del Toro
- Stars: Federico Luppi, Eduardo Noriega, Inigo Garces, Marisa Paredes, Fernando Tielve, Irene Visedo
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 93%, IMDb 7.4
Guillermo del Toro fearlessly balanced emotion and terror in the movie The Devil’s Backbone. Taking chances is not hard as long as it results in beautiful moments. The story revolves around Carlos, portrayed by Fernando Tielve, who is a young boy in an orphanage when the Spanish Civil War happens. He comes across the terrifying specter of another child, which takes us to a mystery that the caretakers share. The director urges the audience to have empathy for not only the good characters but also the ones suffering in the war. This heart-wrenching film I both terrifying and beautiful. We highly recommend it as one of the best Guillermo del Toro movies of all time.
2. Pan’s Labyrinth 2006
- Genre: Fantasy/War
- Director: Guillermo del Toro
- Star: Ivana Baquero, Doug Jones, Ariadna Gil, Sergi López
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 95%, IMDb 8.2
Another one of the best movies ever is Pan’s Labyrinth, directed by one of the greatest filmmakers, Guillermo del Toro. The tale revolves around an 11-year-old who is one a journey to a magical world of mythical creatures. It has a slight historical backdrop of the 40s and the World War second. One of the most significant aspects of the movies are the costumes and effects. Entertainment Weekly says, “Like any great myth, Pan’s Labyrinth encodes its messages through displays of magic. And like any good fairy tale, it is also embroidered with threads of death and loss.” Don’t miss this as it is indeed one of the best Guillermo del Toro movies of all time.
Read more: Best Fantasy Movies of All Time
1. Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio 2022
- Genre: Musical/Fantasy
- Directors: Guillermo del Toro, Mark Gustafson
- Stars: Gregory Mann, Ewan McGregor, Finn Wolfhard, Ron Perlman, David Bradley, Cate Blanchett
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 97%, IMDb 7.6
A father wishes for her wooden boy to come alive in Italy and his wish comes true, giving him an opportunity to raise a child. However, they have a hard time finding a place for themselves as their country is embroiled in fascism. The cast’s performances were incredible, especially that of Gregory Mann and David Bradley as Pinocchio and Geppetto, respectively. The music is by Alexandre Desplat, giving the movie a great sense of whimsy for a fairytale. We highly recommend this as one of the best Guillermo del Toro movies of all time that came out in 2022.