Guillermo del Toro to Co-Write a New ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ Novel

Even after winning Best Picture and Director for “The Shape of Water” last year, Guillermo del Toro is still most beloved by many for “Pan’s Labyrinth.” His breakthrough film was one of the best-reviewed of 2006, won three of the six Academy Awards for which it was nominated, and displayed his fairytale-loving sensibility in a way that continues to resonate. So much so, in fact, that he’s revisiting it by co-writing “Pan’s Labyrinth: The Labyrinth of the Faun” with Cornelia Funke (“Inkheart”).

That title is a nod to the film’s original Spanish-language name of “El laberinto del fauno,” which translates to (you guessed it) “The Labyrinth of the Faun.” Described as a transformation of the film, it will include short stories that expand the folklore on which “Pan’s Labyrinth” is based. Del Toro had more ideas for the world he created than could be made explicit onscreen, as Doug Jones (who plays the Faun) revealed at a special screening in 2017 — for instance, the fact that the Faun is aging backwards.

“If you happen to notice, every time you see him, he gets prettier and more auburn-colored and his horns grow back and his eyes clear up as the movie progresses because little Ofelia starts believing in me again, and in our world, which strengthens the whole underworld,” Jones explained.

The filmmaker won’t be alone in building on that mythology. Funke has sold more than 20 million copies of her books since publishing her first novel, “The Thief Lord,” in 2000; other works include “Dragon Rider,” “When Santa Fell to Earth,” and “Ghost Knight.”

“Pan’s Labyrinth: The Labyrinth of the Faun” will be released on July 2.

It was a pleasure to team up with @CorneliaFunke on this book that expands the world of Pan's Labyrinth- and now we can share it… https://t.co/JWVis4Ag2j pic.twitter.com/iYQeRKffJ5

— Guillermo del Toro (@RealGDT) April 3, 2019