This past summer, when Guillermo del Toro announced that the similarities between “Prometheus” and his long-gestating “At The Mountains of Madness” had effectively shuttered the project, among the cries of outrage there exists one positive: it allows the director to move on to his other thousand projects waiting in the wings.
Among these oft-bandied-about notions, two in particular have almost matched 'Madness' in date of origin – a “Hulk” TV show, which del Toro was set to launch with ABC and “Battlestar Galactica” exec David Eick behind him, and his own version of Mary Shelley's “Frankenstein.” While kicking off the Academy of Arts and Sciences' Los Angeles film series celebrating the Universal horror classics, Del Toro gamely offered updates on both projects, and revealed they've plateaued on similar points during their path to fruition.
"Right now all I know is the official word I was given is that there's a writer they want," said del Toro, on the status of the “Hulk” series. "They are very interested in me meeting with him. He's very, very busy. The official word is we are holding, but I don't know…” He notes that the success of “The Avengers” might move things along, but with the planned series having no correlation to Joss Whedon's universe, Marvel might decide against it in order to try to keep things streamlined.
Del Toro's adaptation of “Frankenstein” has reached a similarly mixed position, with progress slowly moving ahead yet a ways still to go until production. “[Universal Pictures Co-Chairman] Donna Langley just put us on track to write the screenplay. So, we're going to start writing the script,” he noted, “It's a very long endeavor for me; it's going to require a couple of years just to write it. But it's been put back on track by Donna.”
So add these two to the waiting list for now, it seems. However, as del Toro has repeatedly stated, “Frankenstein” represents possibly his most personal project, and he's confirmed as much by reiterating he will take the time required to do the project justice. Until then, either “Pacific Rim” or his FX series adaptation of “The Strain” which he'll get to right after, will have to suffice for your dose of del Toro quality. [Coming Soon/Shock 'Til You Drop]
