Having once been linked to an Oscar-winning actor, The Last Voyage of the Demeter’s director, André Øvredal, disclosed that he received the approval of Guillermo del Toro when he assumed the helm of the project. This film serves as an extension of a section from Bram Stoker’s timeless masterpiece, Dracula, known as The Captain’s Log.
While del Toro was initially slated for the director’s chair, he had to bow out due to scheduling conflicts and recommended Øvredal for the role, citing their robust collaborative history following Øvredal’s direction of the film Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, which del Toro produced.
André Øvredal Shares Guillermo del Toro’s Impact
The Hollywood Reporter recently engaged in a conversation with Øvredal about the upcoming release of The Last Voyage of the Demeter. While Guillermo del Toro’s involvement was limited during the film’s production due to his dedication to Nightmare Alley and Pinocchio, Øvredal disclosed that they had “immensely beneficial” discussions at the outset of pre-production.
“He was so busy with two other movies throughout my process with Demeter. He was working on Nightmare Alley at the same time as we were prepping this, and then he was working on Pinocchio. But I had great conversations with him at the beginning, before we got off the ground, and they were extremely helpful. I learned so much from working with him on Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark that I was already inside his mind to the degree that I can be. I learned so much about the precision of storytelling and how to view a movie from top to bottom, and the way he thinks is extraordinary.”
Had del Toro remained at the helm, The Last Voyage of the Demeter would have undoubtedly sported a distinct appearance, but the fact that one of his mentees assumed the directorial role ensures that the film maintains a hint of his unmistakable touch. André Øvredal’s work in Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark bore a resemblance to del Toro’s aesthetic, and although Øvredal explores broader horizons in Demeter, the traces of their shared creative inspirations remain evident.
Guillermo Del Toro Was Emotionally Attached To The Project
Logically, del Toro would harbor a certain fondness for this project and prefer someone he’s intimately familiar with to take the reins. The director has unequivocally demonstrated his mastery of the subgenre by portraying vampires on screen, each time in a distinct manner.
This journey commenced with his boldly inventive debut in 1992, Cronos, followed by the 2002 hit sequel, Blade II, and his contributions to the gory FX series, The Strain, a collaboration with Chuck Hogan based on their co-authored novel.
The Last Voyage of the Demeter emerges as a fusion of these three works, blending the atmospheric and intense elements akin to del Toro’s signature style while also preserving certain blockbuster attributes reminiscent of Blade II, which accounts for its release in the late summer season.
Source: Screenrant
