A Bold New Chapter in Animation: Guillermo del Toro and Ted Sarandos Launch Ambitious Stop-Motion Studio in Paris
It’s not every day that two creative giants decide to reinvent how animation is taught and made—but that’s exactly what’s happening. Frankenstein director Guillermo del Toro and Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos have joined forces to create a groundbreaking stop-motion studio at France’s world-renowned Gobelins School of the Image. This isn’t just another educational project—it’s a signal flare to the global animation community: the art of handcrafted storytelling is evolving, not fading.
A Living Laboratory for the Next Generation of Animators
When del Toro and Sarandos visited Gobelins in Paris, they revealed that the upcoming studio will do much more than train students. It’s being imagined as a living, breathing laboratory—a place where learning blends with real experimentation, research, and creative risk-taking. Co-founded by del Toro and Netflix, this initiative aims to give emerging artists access to cutting-edge techniques in stop-motion while preserving the tactile beauty that defines the medium.
And there’s a touching dedication behind it, too: the project honors the late Mark Gustafson, the visionary whose work on Pinocchio deeply inspired del Toro. It’s both a tribute and a promise—to keep alive the craftsmanship and passion that shaped generations of animators.
Building on Creative Partnerships
Netflix’s connection to French animation runs deep. The company has already established collaborations with acclaimed studios like Fortiche (Arcane), TAT Productions (Astérix: The Battle of the Chiefs), and Blue Spirit (Blue Eye Samurai). This new venture with Gobelins cements the streamer’s growing reputation as a global hub for animation innovation.
How It All Began—And a Bit of Del Toro Humor
The idea, according to del Toro, began with a deceptively simple question. Sarandos had asked him what remained on his creative bucket list. Del Toro’s reply? In his trademark sardonic wit: “You’re a billionaire. If you stick with me, I’ll make you a millionaire.” Beneath the humor was a serious conviction—that artists must protect and sustain fragile art forms even when the financial reward isn’t immediate. Netflix’s unwavering support of Pinocchio—a project nearly two decades in the making—was proof of that philosophy.
Training Ground Meets Film Set
The timing for the new studio couldn’t be more perfect. Del Toro and Netflix are already collaborating again on a stop-motion adaptation of The Buried Giant, a novel by Nobel Prize-winning author Kazuo Ishiguro. Students from the Gobelins studio will be able to flow directly into this project—working as apprentices, set designers, puppet builders, or storyboard artists. It’s a practical, immersive model that merges education and production in one beautifully messy creative ecosystem.
Why Stop Motion Still Matters
Sarandos confessed he’s fascinated by stop motion because everything you see in it—the sets, puppets, costumes, and lighting—is made by human hands. “Every filmmaking discipline,” he noted, “comes together in stop motion. You’re not just animating—you’re painting, sculpting, designing, and storytelling all at once.” He emphasized that audiences can sense that human touch, a feeling AI simply can’t replicate.
For del Toro, stop motion is more than a technique—it’s a philosophy. He envisions the Paris studio forging stronger bridges between European and Latin American creators. In Mexico, he explained, the art form has long struggled due to limited governmental support. “If Europe and Latin America can connect through this,” he said, “it opens an entirely new path of hope.”
AI Enters the Conversation—And Sparks Debate
And here’s where things get controversial. During the launch, del Toro addressed a hot-topic issue: artificial intelligence. He urged people to distinguish between AI as a useful tool and AI as a substitute for creative thinking. Pointing out that animation has used certain algorithmic systems for years, he drew a sharp line between supportive tools and so-called “generative AI.”
A few months earlier, del Toro admitted, a high-ranking executive asked his stance on AI in filmmaking. His reply was blunt: “I’d rather die.” It was his colorful way of defending the soul of human-made art. Animation, he argued, shouldn’t chase speed at the expense of imagination. “Stop motion,” he joked, “is the slow food of filmmaking.” In an industry obsessed with efficiency, del Toro champions the deliberate process of creation—the patience that allows artistry to unfold.
Sarandos, while more measured, shared his own perspective: AI can serve as a creator’s tool—but not as a creative force on its own. According to him, AI systems are designed to recombine what already exists, producing the most predictable outcome possible. “That’s the opposite,” he explained, “of what writers and filmmakers strive for—they want surprise, emotion, the unexpected.” In other words, machines can mimic patterns, but not vision.
From Venice to the Classroom
Both visionaries recently basked in applause at the Venice Film Festival when del Toro’s Frankenstein premiered to a long standing ovation. Starring Oscar Isaac and Jacob Elordi, the $120 million epic is already generating awards buzz. Yet even with a major success on his hands, del Toro’s focus is turning to education—to nurturing new storytellers who will shape the next 50 years of stop motion cinema.
A Final Thought for Dreamers and Skeptics Alike
In an era racing toward automation, this bold new studio stands as an act of creative resistance—a celebration of slowness, intention, and imperfection. Could stop motion be the last bastion of truly human filmmaking? Or will technology inevitably find a way to replicate even that?
One thing’s certain: this collaboration between del Toro, Sarandos, and Gobelins will ignite endless debates—and, hopefully, inspire countless students to pick up their own tools and start moving their worlds frame by frame.
