Guillermo del Toro's 'Mountains of Madness', 'Haunted Mansion' & 'The Fall' Book Tour Dates

Guillermo del Toro news and rumors are still flying since his recent visit to San Diego Comic Con.

At The Mountains of Madness

Since departing 'The Hobbit', Guillermo del Toro's next film has been the subject of many rumours. The most popular being that his next project will be At The Mountains Of Madness (2013), an adaptation of the HP Lovecraft tale that will be shot as a 3D film for Universal Pictures. The bonus surprise is that his good friend James Cameron will come aboard as a producer. A little known fact: Cameron helped del Toro out years ago when his father was kidnapped in Mexico.

GDT told the Comic Con crowd he'd set his next film shortly, and that it would be scary. At the Mountains of Madness fits that bill.

Set in the 1930s At The Mountains Of Madness reveals the existence of a remote frozen and ancient (non-human) city in the central wastes of Antarctica. Mankind's true origins are revealed (incidental 'playthings' created for amusement by the Great Old Ones). Many of the expedition members are killed, one (Danforth) driven incurably insane by the ancient knowledge and unpleasant events which overtake the expedition. The theme of 'forbidden knowledge' is echoed in the very opening lines of the story by the expedition's leader and survivor (Professor Dyer of the Miskatonic University): "I am forced into speech because men of science have refused to follow my advice without knowing why".

Those characters who attempt to make use of such knowledge are almost invariably doomed. Sometimes their work attracts the attention of malevolent beings; other times, evoking the spirit of Frankenstein, they are destroyed by monsters of their own creation.

The film will be a big ticket item, shot in 3D where Cameron's expertise can really help. Deadline.com reports the film will begin pre-production in the next few weeks, and shoot next summer.

Del Toro's company is making films like Frankenstein (2012) and the Kurt Vonnegut novel Slaughterhouse-Five at Universal. ATMOM was included in the multi-picture deal with Universal back in 2007. No official announcement has been made by Universal or del Toro.

In the meantime check out a cool "ATMOM fan faux trailer" after the jump.

The Haunted Mansion

At the Comic Con TRON panel del Toro announced that he (and writing partner Matthew Robbins) will be writing and producing a film called The Haunted Mansion (2012) inspired by the theme park ride.

The Hollywood Reporter's exclusive Q&A with del Toro revealed the following...

"It's going to be a thrill ride for the whole family but it's definitely going to be scary," GDT said. "(Walt) Disney is one of the creators of some of the scariest images in my childhood. People forget that he not only made sweet images but also images of nightmare. We need to honor that side of the legacy."

Disney envisions the new movie as one that will draw in the four-quadrant audience with real scares, drawing upon Del Toro's ability to summon up fantastic images like those he created in "Pan's Labyrinth" and "Hellboy."

"The result is a unique combination of dark and fun," said del Toro. "I want to really honor the two sensibilities."

'Hatbox Ghost' Designed by Kevin Kidney & Jody Daily
Released in 2005

Specific plot details and creature characters are being guarded. However, one ghost that will appear is the Hatbox Ghost, who is dressed in a cloak and top hat, and whose head disappears and reappears in a hatbox the ghost holds in his hand.

"There are several mansions around the world and he is the spider in the center of the web of these mansions around the world," said del Toro. "He will be a pivotal figure in the screenplay."

Del Toro and Disney are anticipating a longer-than-usual development process. He wants to not only nail down a script but also the designs of the ghostly multitude.

He also wants to spend time creating a visually stylized world not just for the mansion but for the "real" world as well, mixing the ideas of the original concept drawing with his own visual signature. The last thing he wants is a mansion movie with a creaky musty tone.

"We want to make a haunted house movie for the 21st century," he said.

The Fall

Guillermo Del Toro's The Fall, the second book in The Strain Trilogy, launches in bookstores on September 21, 2010. Pre-order now.

He will be signing copies of The Fall at the following locations:

Tuesday, September 21

Guillermo Del Toro will be promoting The Fall
BLOOMBERG STUDIOS/Charlie Rose

Guillermo Del Toro will be promoting The Fall
THE NEW YORK TIMES/Times Talks
21st FL 620 Eighth AVE New York, NY 10036

Wednesday, September 22

Guillermo Del Toro will be promoting The Fall
BORDERS
10 Columbus Circle New York, NY 10019

Thursday, September 23

Guillermo Del Toro will be promoting The Fall
BRATTLE THEATER/Harvard Bookstore
40 Brattle St Harvard Square Cambridge, MA 02138

Friday, September 24

Guillermo Del Toro will be promoting The Fall
TATTERED COVER BOOK STORE
9315 Dorchester ST Highlands Ranch Town Center Highlands Ranch, CO 80129

Monday, September 27

Guillermo Del Toro will be promoting The Fall
CBS-TV/Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson

Tuesday, September 28

Guillermo Del Toro will be promoting The Fall
GOOGLE
1600 Amphitheatre Parkway Google - Building 42 Mountain View, CA 94043

Guillermo Del Toro will be promoting The Fall
BOOKSMITH/At the Kabuki Theater
601 Van Ness San Francisco, CA 94102

Wednesday, September 29

Guillermo Del Toro will be promoting The Fall
POWELL'S BOOKSTORE
Baghdad Theater 3702 SE Hawthorne Blvd Portland, OR 97214

Friday, October 01

Guillermo Del Toro will be promoting The Fall
AMAZON

Saturday, October 02

Guillermo Del Toro will be promoting The Fall
BARNES & NOBLE
STE K 30 189 Grove Drive Los Angeles, CA 90036

Friday, October 08

Guillermo Del Toro will be promoting The Fall
CHELTENHAM LITERARY FESTIVAL

Dates and times are subject to change. Please contact venue to confirm details.

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Source: HollywoodReporter.com, Deadline.com, HarperCollins.com