Guillermo del Toro Receives Key to the City of Toronto, His ‘Second Home’
Mayor Olivia Chow honored acclaimed filmmaker Guillermo del Toro with the key to the City of Toronto on Thursday morning. The Mexican director warmly called Toronto his “second home” during the ceremony at Cinespace Studios, where he has filmed many of his works.
Celebrating a Long-Standing Connection
Del Toro first came to Toronto nearly 30 years ago to shoot Mimic, his first English-language film. Despite a rocky production, he said he immediately felt at home because of the city’s welcoming crews and creative spirit.
Since then, he’s returned many times, filming some of his biggest projects in Toronto, including:
- The Shape of Water (2017)
- Nightmare Alley (2021)
- Cabinet of Curiosities (2022)
- The upcoming Frankenstein (2025)
Mayor Chow praised del Toro as a “once-in-a-generation storyteller”, adding that his work has touched audiences around the world.
A Studio Tribute and a City’s Gratitude
As part of the ceremony, Cinespace Studios renamed its Marine Terminal campus stages to the “Guillermo del Toro Stages” to honour his contributions to Toronto’s film industry.
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Del Toro responded with deep appreciation:
“To have my name associated with these glorious stages is an immense honour… I am deeply grateful to the Toronto film community.”
He also added,
“This is not transactional or transitional—Toronto is the best place to make movies.”
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More Than Just Movies
Del Toro’s love for Toronto goes beyond film sets. In 2024, he spoke out to help save the Revue Cinema, an independent theatre in Roncesvalles that was facing closure. He called the cinema “a venue sustained by the sheer love of its patrons and founders.”
His connection to Toronto is also personal. He frequently shares his affection for local bookstores and neighbourhoods and often highlights the talent of the city’s film workers.
What’s Next?
Del Toro’s newest film, Frankenstein, was also filmed in Toronto and will have its North American premiere at TIFF in September. The Netflix release is expected in November 2025.
Which del Toro film do you think best captures his magic—and would you want to see more shot in Toronto?
More…
- https://www.cp24.com/news/2025/07/24/guillermo-del-toro-gets-key-to-his-second-home-toronto
- https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/toronto-guillermo-del-toro-key-to-the-city-1.7592786
- https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/toronto-is-the-best-place-to-make-movies-guillermo-del-toro-presented-with-key-to/article_6b122514-9d29-48ce-9bca-8fc883902d86.html
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