In a recent conversation for Netflix, Guillermo del Toro and Roar Uthaug explored the art and motivations behind their distinct approaches to cinematic monsters, offering fans an inside look at the craft of Guillermo del Toro creature design as it shapes both Frankenstein and Troll 2. Taking place just ahead of Frankenstein’s production, their discussion illuminated the ways each filmmaker harnesses mythology, empathy, and personal history to breathe life into their unique creatures.
How Frankenstein’s Creature Was Reimagined Under Pressure
Guillermo del Toro’s journey with Frankenstein’s Creature was marked by unexpected challenges that tested his expertise and creativity. Originally, the character was sculpted over nearly a year to fit the likeness and movement of actor Andrew Garfield. However, with Garfield’s sudden departure only weeks before filming, del Toro and his team had to entirely reconstruct the design in a fraction of the time.
“We took almost a year in reaching the final design. We had sculpted it for one actor, and it took a long time. And then that actor left the project, and we had only four or five weeks to resculpt everything.”
— Guillermo del Toro, Director
Despite this grueling turnaround, del Toro’s background in makeup effects, visual effects, and animation gave him confidence under pressure. His extensive hands-on experience meant he approached the task as a solvable challenge, rather than a crisis.
“I was not afraid. I said, We’re going to do it. I have extensive background on makeup effects and visual effects and animation. When people say, Oh, it can be done, it’s too difficult… I know it can be done. I could do it! So we were not scared at all, and we took it.”
— Guillermo del Toro, Director
The new iteration of Frankenstein’s Creature was crafted to reflect Victor Frankenstein’s obsession and ambition. Del Toro opted for elegance and beauty intermixed with unsettling detail, departing from traditional patchwork imagery to conjure something that seemed both anatomical and elemental. The scars were inspired by early scientific theories like phrenology, and his interpretation leaned into the idea of the Creature as a blank canvas—newly born, shaped by the cruelties and aspirations of his creator.
“He’s not going to make a station wagon. He’s going to make a Lamborghini.”
— Guillermo del Toro, Director
Drawing on Nordic Heritage for Troll 2’s Mythic Monsters
Across the globe, Roar Uthaug rooted his monsters firmly in Nordic legends and personal memories, reinventing trolls beyond caricature for his Troll movies. Uthaug’s vision drew directly from Norwegian folklore and recognizable art, particularly the work of painter Theodor Kittelsen, whose illustrations defined how trolls appear in the cultural imagination of Norway.
“He had made a drawing called ‘Troll at the Karl Johan Street’, which is the main street of Oslo, and there’s a troll walking down there in the early 1900s. And I thought, what would happen if a troll walked down that street today? And how would the government and the army and everybody react to that? So it’s really Kittelsen’s drawing that was the genesis of the idea.”
— Roar Uthaug, Director
Giving substance to these legendary beings, Uthaug looked to the natural landscapes of Norway for inspiration. The rocky surfaces, mossy forests, and animals served as templates, ensuring the trolls felt authentic both in their environment and their personalities. Distinct features distinguished the hero and villain trolls: animalistic influence guided the sharper, more menacing shapes of the villain, while the hero appeared rounded, kinder, and deeply rooted in the Norwegian wilds.
“So then we looked at wolves, made his face a bit more triangular. And the hero troll is rounder and kinder. And as they’re supposed to come from Norwegian nature, we looked at rock surfaces and the ground of the forest.”
— Roar Uthaug, Director
This commitment to grounding mythic creatures in tangible reality provided the trolls with a sense of presence and credibility, combining classic elements such as oversized noses and expressive eyes with subtle emotional cues. Uthaug’s background ensured that the trolls’ portrayal would reflect Norway’s folklore as well as his own childhood experiences.
“In Norway, we grow up with this folklore and fairytales, like the lullabies we sing to our children are about trolls. It’s a very big part of our culture.”
— Roar Uthaug, Director
A Shared Philosophy: Monsters with Depth and Emotion
Through their discussion, del Toro and Uthaug discovered common ground not only in their craft, but also in their understanding of monsters as complex, empathetic figures. Both see their creatures not as villains but as misunderstood beings, shaped and often damaged by the humans around them.
“I felt a lot of kinship between Hellboy 2 and Troll 2. There’s strands and themes and preoccupations and even devices that I thought we may be long lost brothers or something.”
— Guillermo del Toro, Director
The directors’ shared approach gives depth and motive to their monsters, with humanity and emotion at the forefront. Uthaug highlighted how del Toro’s films never treat monsters as purely evil but imbue them with relatable feelings and struggles.
“I enjoy your movies as well because the creatures, they’re never pure evil. There’s some humanity or some emotions to them. You’re not looking down at your creatures.”
— Roar Uthaug, Director
Del Toro responded with characteristic wit, emphasizing a perspective favoring the monsters over the people in their worlds.
“I look down on the humans.”
— Guillermo del Toro, Director
This mutual understanding is deeply personal; both incorporate elements of their own cultural and biographical backgrounds into their work, whether drawing from Mexican roots or the Norwegian wilderness. As del Toro stated:
“When people say to me, What is Mexican about your films? I say, me. And I think the same could be said of you.”
— Guillermo del Toro, Director
The Lasting Impact of Creature Creation
Guillermo del Toro and Roar Uthaug’s conversation highlights a unifying philosophy: monsters are more than just obstacles or villains. By presenting complex beings shaped by history, art, and myth—as well as by the directors’ own life stories—each filmmaker deepens the emotional impact of their films. The enduring power of Guillermo del Toro creature design, combined with Uthaug’s mythological sensitivity, continues to redefine how audiences perceive on-screen monsters. As both artists look to the future, their work signals a shift toward ever more expressive and meaningful creature stories, resonating with human triumphs and tragedies alike.
