Is 'Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities' Based on a Book? What to Know
At last, 'Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities' is finally here! As fans begin to watch, many are wondering if the series based on a book.
Oct. 25 2022, Published 3:13 p.m. ET
Let's get spooky!
On Oct. 25, renowned filmmaker Guillermo del Toro officially opened his Cabinet of Curiosities to the public. The eight-episode anthology series, which releases two episodes a day over the course of four days, will introduce audiences to an assortment of unprecedented and genre-defining tales meant to question our preconceived beliefs of horror.
As we thoroughly prepare to bask in the horrific glory of eight diverse yet equally terrifying stories, we can't help but wonder how these narratives came to be — did Guillermo del Toro put his creative mind to the ultimate test? Or is Cabinet of Curiosities based on a book? Keep reading to find out!
So, is 'Cabinet of Curiosities' based on a book?
In October 2013, the Academy Award–winning director published a text titled Guillermo del Toro Cabinet of Curiosities: My Notebooks, Collections, and Other Obsessions. However, the Netflix original series is not based on the book.
Despite that, it's good to note that every installment is based on original short stories from various authors, including Guillermo del Toro.
In fact, the first episode, titled "Lot 36," is based on an original story by the filmmaker. The eighth and final episode, "The Murmuring," is also based on a short story by the 58-year-old Golden Globe winner.
A still from the "Lot 36" episode of 'Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities.'
As for the rest of the episodes, here's more about their origins:
- Episode 2: "Graveyard Rats" — based on a short story by Henry Kuttner
- Episode 3: "The Autopsy" — based on a story by Michael Shea
- Episode 4: "The Outside" — based on a short story by Emily Carroll
- Episode 5: "Pickman's Model" — based on a short story by H.P. Lovecraft
- Episode 6: "Dreams in the Witch House" — based on a short story by H.P. Lovecraft
- Episode 7: "The Viewing" — based on a short story by Michael Shea
Guillermo del Toro revealed the inspiration behind "Lot 36" and "The Murmuring."
Ahead of the series premiere, Guillermo sat down with acclaimed filmmaker (and Netflix royalty) Mike Flanagan to discuss his latest project and reflected on how he developed his original stories "Lot 36" and "The Murmuring."
"'The Murmuring' was an idea I had when I was traveling through Europe," Guillermo stated. "I thought, 'What if the birds were murmuring in the sky? What if they were forming patterns because they carry the souls of the dead?' Then Jennifer [Kent] took it into a place that I didn’t see coming. She made it a story about healing, and I was blown away."
As for "Lot 36," the University of Guadalajara alum confessed that the concept "occurred to me when I lost my storage." He added, "They sent the mail to the wrong address, and they sold all my storage to somebody. It had all my storyboards and it took a while to recuperate. So I thought, 'What if somebody buys the storage and there’s something in there that shouldn’t be seen?'"
The first two episodes of Cabinet of Curiosities are now available on Netflix, with new episodes releasing daily (the last batch arrives Oct. 28).
