Shape Of Water, Hellboy Director Lands Big Horror/Sci-Fi Movie Deal

Guillermo Del Toro has been one of the leading filmmakers in sci-fi, fantasy, and horror for the past two decades, with movies such as Pan's Labyrinth, Hellboy, and Pacific Rim helping him build a devoted fanbase. While Pacific Rim was a big budget blockbuster, it is The Shape of Water that has brought him the biggest acclaim, as well as this year's Best Movie Oscar. It has now been announced that Del Toro has struck a deal with Shape of Water producers Fox Searchlight to develop a slate of genre movies.

As reported by Deadline, Fox Searchlight signed the deal after being pitched by Del Toro. The movies to be developed will be "horror, sci-fi, and fantasy," and will be a mix of projects written, produced, and sometimes directed by the filmmaker. The first movie to be released under banner will be Antlers, which is described as "a story about an elementary school teacher who takes in a troubled student that harbors a mysterious family secret with deadly consequences."

In a statement, Del Toro said, "For the longest time, I've hoped to find an environment in which I can distribute, nurture, and produce new voices in smart, inventive genre films and channel my own. In Fox Searchlight, I've found a real home for live-action production--a partnership based on hard work, understanding of each other and, above all, faith. After the wonderful experience I had with Fox Searchlight on The Shape of Water, I am honored to have the opportunity to continue the relationship."

The future of Fox Searchlight has been under some uncertainty since it was confirmed that Disney is in the process of buying all of parent company 21st Century Fox's entertainment assets. Searchlight has had one of its strongest years for a long time, with both The Shape of Water and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri scoring major awards success. However, some have questioned whether Disney will be interested in continuing to produce adult-orientated movies such as these, which despite the critical acclaim and modest budgets, only have limited audience appeal. However, the type of sci-fi and horror movies that Del Toro specialises in do potentially have bigger commercial viability.

For more Del Toro coverage on GameSpot, check out this guide to his greatest monsters, our ranking of all his movies to date, and Pacific Rim's Kaiju ranked in order of awesomeness.