Guillermo Del Toro Teases 'The Book of Life' at Comic-Con: Animated Movie Highlights Day of the Dead Mexican Traditions, Latino Voices
Besides teasing his upcoming movie "Crimson Peak" (to be released Oct. 16, 2015) and the possibility of a "Hellboy 3" at this year's Comic-Con, Mexican director Guillermo del Toro also discussed the upcoming film "The Book of Life," which was inspired by his home country's traditions.
The animated movie is based off of Mexican folklore and tells a tale of love that transcends death, EFE reports. It also takes place during the time of the Day of the Dead, a Mexican holiday that has been celebrated since before the arrival of Christopher Columbus, according to the news agency.
"We wanted to make a film that is modern but that delves deeply into our roots and celebrates what the Day of the Dead stands for, which is life," del Toro, who served as a producer for the film, said at Comic-Con on Friday.
"The Book of Life" was directed by Jorge Gutierrez. Del Toro said that he saw himself in Gutierrez, shared his vision and mentored him.
"[I aimed] to create something different and unique, a story never seen before," Gutierrez said. "We wanted to make some really authentic tacos that people would like not only in Mexico, but also in the rest of the world."
The voice of Diego Luna ("Milk") stars in the film as the young Manolo who is torn between following his dreams and pleasing his family. As he ponders the decision he "finds himself whisked on a trip through strange fantastic worlds that force him to deal with his greatest fears," according to EFE.
Luna isn't the only familiar name on the cast. Zoe Saldana ("Guardians of the Galaxy") and Channing Tatum ("22 Jump Street") play main characters Maria and Joaquin respectively. In addition, there are plenty of Latino voices thanks to stars like Danny Trejo ("Machete") and comedians Cheech Marin and Gabriel Iglesias, according to TheWrap. Ron Perlman ("Hellboy"), Christina Applegate ("Up All Night"), Ice Cube ("Ride Along") and others also lend their voices to the animated film,.
"The Book of Life" premieres in the United States on Oct. 17, just in time for the Day of the Dead on Nov. 2.
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Follow Scharon Harding on Twitter: @ScharHar.
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