What Next?

Remember when we were asking that same question after HELLBOY 2? All kinds of speculation on what project would be next. The assumption would be some long-gestating project that GDT had in a file drawer somewhere.

Then THE HOBBIT came out of left field.

Well, we are in that situation yet again - what next?

Lots of rumors floating around, so let me tell you what I know.

There are three projects Guillermo is considering doing. What they are, I don't know. But I have some guesses.

First of all, Guillermo, in his words, is not going to do a "rebound" movie. Whatever he does, it will be a project meaningful to him.

Second, he wants to get going in May, so that means the script is ready, or almost ready, to film. That takes out HELLBOY 3, which does not have a script ready.

So what are the potential projects on his plate that we know about? I'll go through them and weigh in on their likelihood:

AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS
Won't happen because GDT still has not lined up the studio support. This is a difficult film to sell to a studio - $70 to $80 million budget, no happy ending, no love story, tent-pole horror. It is just a tough sell. With the lackluster success of SPLICE, it makes it even a harder sell, in my opinion.

FRANKENSTEIN
This could happen. I don't know where the script is at, but I know this is a project that GDT is passionate about and they've already starting testing makeup on Doug Jones (G's monster of choice).

SATURN AND THE END OF DAYS
One of GDT's pet Spanish language projects, like PAN'S LABYRINTH. The script isn't ready yet, so count this out.

DROOD, JEKYLL & HYDE, SLAUGHTERHOUSE 5
I'm not hearing much buzz on these, so I'm not sure there is a script ready here.

LEFT HAND OF DARKNESS
This is Guillermo's fantasy western based on the Count of Monte Cristo. He shelved this script around 2002 because there were multiple Monte Cristo movies. But GDT loves this script and I would consider this a dark horse favorite. GDT mentioned in an interview that his next project will likely be something that they started development on 15 years ago. DARKNESS is right in that timeframe.

MEPHISTO'S BRIDGE
A script GDT wrote based on a book by Christopher Fowler entitled SPANKY, about a man who makes a deal with a demon. This is another dark horse pick, because this is a project that he worked on some time ago.

So, again, here is my top 3 ranked "most likely" picks for "What Next?"

1. An Unknown Project - my gut is that we will hear an announcement at this year's SDCC on something that is a complete surprise. Just like THE HOBBIT.

2. FRANKENSTEIN - this is my second favorite because this is a project G loves and it is a marketable project by studios.

3. LEFT HAND OF DARKNESS - it meets the qualifications for a lot of hints Guillermo has been throwing around. Would love to see this project happen.

Stay tuned folks...