There’s No Excuse Not To Fund Guillermo del Toro’s HP Lovecraft Movie After 2025

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Guillermo del Toro’s adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft’s At the Mountains of Madness is a movie I really hope gets made. The story, about a team of scientists who discover a terrifying secret in Antarctica, first gained traction in 2006 when del Toro and Matthew Robins wrote a script. Warner Bros. initially considered it, but later dropped the project. Then, Universal took a look with James Cameron as a producer in 2011, but they also decided not to move forward.

Fans got excited in 2022 when Guillermo del Toro mentioned potentially making the film using stop-motion animation and shared some old, impressive CGI tests. However, the project hasn’t moved forward, and the director recently stated he doubts it will ever be made.

The movie faced setbacks primarily because of Guillermo del Toro’s desire for a mature, R-rating. Back in 2011, a New Yorker article described the planned film as a large-scale, R-rated epic, and Universal Studios worried they wouldn’t make back the high production costs with that rating limiting the audience. Even as of 2025, del Toro still points to the R-rating as the main reason studios are hesitant to move forward with the project.

But after the year we’ve had in horror, I think Hollywood should reconsider.

2025’s Horror Hits Prove There’s A Market For Big-Budget, R-Rated Scares

Horror movies are usually a safe bet for making money at the box office because they can be produced relatively cheaply, and their fans are very loyal. This year, they exceeded expectations. According to data from The Numbers, four horror films released in 2025 now rank among the 25 highest-grossing horror movies ever made: The Conjuring: Last Rites (at #2); Sinners (#5); Final Destination: Bloodlines (#12); and Weapons (#21).

The films represent a diverse collection, including two franchise installments, two original stories, and two historical dramas. Several explore religious themes, while one is a violent horror film, another a mystery, and yet another a musical. The selection also features four different types of monsters. Including the 2024 release Alien: Romulus, which was promoted with the tagline “make Alien scary again,” brings sci-fi horror into the mix as well.

A film adaptation of ‘At the Mountains of Madness’ could find an audience. While cosmic horror is difficult to pull off successfully, Guillermo del Toro’s ability to create compelling monsters is a major attraction. The story’s massive scope and discoveries would be perfect for an immersive IMAX experience, and the director’s reputation could generate similar excitement around premium formats as seen with films like ‘Oppenheimer’ and ‘Dune: Part Two’.

Del Toro’s original concept might have been too costly for theaters in 2011, and rising production costs could make it even harder to create now. However, improvements in visual effects actually make his vision more realistic today. Adding a big star – Tom Cruise was James Cameron’s suggestion – could turn it into a major movie event.

Even a company like Netflix could benefit from this idea. If Greta Gerwig’s take on Narnia is successful, a large-scale monster movie directed by Guillermo del Toro could be a huge hit in IMAX theaters. Plus, it would be a valuable addition to yearly lists of recommended scary movies for streaming, especially around October.

Seriously, Hollywood, what does it take to finally get a movie adaptation of At the Mountains of Madness made?

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2025-10-24 00:09