Overview
- At a San Diego Comic‑Con panel last week, Guillermo del Toro confirmed the film will return to theaters on October 9, 2026 in 4K with 3D and Barco HDR presentations and said tickets go on sale September 9.
- Del Toro declared that "absolutely no goddamn AI" was used in the conversion, a claim he made publicly while emphasizing traditional, hands‑on techniques.
- Panel reporting said roughly 1,000 artists manually rotoscoped the film and that the 3D version uses two depth treatments to keep the real world visually flatter and give the fantasy sequences greater depth and warmth.
- Cineverse and Fathom Entertainment will present the theatrical run, and del Toro said he and collaborators financed the conversion to retain artistic control and safeguard craft knowledge.
- The announcement joins a wider industry debate over AI in restoration, contrasts with recent AI‑assisted projects such as David Fincher’s Se7en restoration, and could strengthen calls to protect entry‑level VFX work and practical skills.