Guillermo del Toro is going to be opening the Ebertfest 2016 with a screening of his latest film "Crimson Peak."

Ebertfest is a five-day festival founded by the late critic Roger Ebert as a showcase for films that did not receive as much acclaim during their initial runs. Chaz Ebert, the late critic's wife, is the festival's host and made the decision to bring in the Mexican filmmaker because she knew that her husband would approve.

"In addition to his talent as a filmmaker, he is one of those gracious and gregarious filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino who likes to discuss movies and often finds new insights. I know our audience will love him," she said, according to The News-Gazette.

Ebert was a rather big fan of del Toro's films, giving all of the director's films at least three out of four stars. He did give del Toro's masterwork "Pan's Labryinth" a perfect four out of four, writing "Pan's Labyrinth" is one of the greatest of all fantasy films, even though it is anchored so firmly in the reality of war.

As to why "Crimson Peak" was the selection for this year's opening night, Ebertfest director Nate Kohn noted that the film was overlooked during its release and deserves to get a closer look.

"Crimson Peak" was released on Oct. 16, 2015 and was made on a budget of $55 million, according to Box Office Mojo. However, the film only raked in around $31 million in domestic gross and $74 worldwide. It won its opening weekend but struggled the rest of the way. Critics were lukewarm in their reception with the film acquiring a 69 percent approval ratings on aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes. The critical consensus on that site reads, "'Crimson Peak' offers an engaging -- albeit somewhat slight -- diversion driven by a delightfully creepy atmosphere and director Guillermo del Toro's brilliant knack for unforgettable visuals."

Ebertfest 2015 opened with Jean-Luc Godard's "Goodbye to Language" and closed with a screening of "Seymour: An Introduction." A year earlier the festival opened with "The Taking of Pelham One, Two, Three" and featured Patton Oswalt as a special guest.

Ebertfest runs from April 13-17 and takes place at Ebert's hometown of Champaign, Illinois. The festival is in its 18th year.

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