Guillermo del Toro's Most Expensive Bet Isn't 'Frankenstein' – It Is This $190M Epic

Guillermo del Toro's new movie, Frankenstein, is already on its way. This Gothic science fiction film will have a limited theatrical release on October 17, 2025, followed by a global Netflix release on November 7, 2025.

In Terms of Budget, 'Frankenstein' Is Second Only to 'Pacific Rim'

Frankenstein has become one of del Toro's most expensive projects. The film's budget was $120 million and only one other director's work exceeded that number – Pacific Rim. Here's what the director said about Frankenstein and Pacific Rim in an interview with Variety:

“It took around 120 days and cost around $120 million. Whatever budget I get, I always say it should look like it cost double. [...] "Pacific Rim," which cost $190 million, I wanted it to look like $400 million.”

What Is 'Pacific Rim' About?

In the near future, a portal opens at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean and hordes of alien monsters attack Earth. In response, humanity creates giant mecha robots called Jaegers.

However, the machines are useless without people to control them. They are operated by pilots whose thought processes are connected through a special neural interface.

In just a few years, a bloody confrontation between humans and aliens puts the human race on the brink of extinction. The last hope lies with retired pilot Raleigh and trainee Mako.

In Guillermo del Toro's Hands, 'Pacific Rim' Becomes More Than Just a Mecha Movie

Guillermo del Toro is best known for dark tales like Crimson Peak and Pan's Labyrinth, so Pacific Rim was an unexpected addition to his filmography.

However, his experience in creating compelling and gripping scripts proved useful when making a mecha movie. The project, where robots fight each other, turned out to be not only spectacular but also thoughtful and compelling in terms of the script.

The strong plot is seasoned with classic mecha elements: giant machines fight kaiju, and a new action scene unfolds every few minutes.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Pacific Rim'?

• Pacific Rim has 72% from critics and 77% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

• On IMDb, the movie has a score of 6.9/10.

• On Letterboxd, Pacific Rim is scored 3.4/5.

Where to Watch 'Pacific Rim'?

Pacific Rim is available to stream on Netflix.