Guillermo del Toro’s CRONOS Returns in Awesome 4K Restoration Release Trailer

A trailer has arrived for the 4K restoration of Guillermo del Toro’s feature debut Cronos, and it is a awesome reminder of where one of cinema’s most imaginative storytellers began.

Janus Films is giving the filmmaker’s first movie a theatrical re-release as fans celebrate his thirteenth feature Frankenstein. For longtime del Toro devotees and newcomers curious about his early genre roots, this restoration offers a fresh look at a film that helped define his voice.

Originally released in Mexico in 1992 before reaching the United States in 1994, Cronos introduced audiences to del Toro’s fascination with monsters, mortality, and the melancholy spaces in between.

Its story reaches back to 1536 during the Inquisition, when an alchemist creates a strange mechanical device designed to grant eternal life. Centuries later, the artifact reemerges and sets off a chain of unsettling events in modern day Mexico.

The film blends ancient mythology with a uniquely intimate vampire tale, led by performances from Federico Luppi, Ron Perlman, Claudio Brook, Margarita Isabel, and Tamara Shanath.

More than three decades later, the film still holds an impressive 88% on Rotten Tomatoes from critics and is often praised as “a haunting and heartwarming film in equal measure.” Even with its limited theatrical return, fans can also revisit it through the 4K Blu-ray edition released by Criterion Collection.

Janus describes the restoration and the film’s enduring appeal by saying, "Guillermo del Toro made an auspicious and audacious feature debut with Cronos, a highly unorthodox tale about the seductiveness of the idea of immortality.

“Kindly antiques dealer Jesús Gris (Federico Luppi) happens upon an ancient golden device in the shape of a scarab, and soon finds himself the possessor and victim of its sinister, addictive powers, as well as the target of a mysterious American named Angel (a delightfully crude and deranged Ron Perlman).

Featuring marvelous makeup effects and the haunting imagery for which del Toro has become world-renowned, Cronos is a dark, visually rich, and emotionally captivating fantasy."

Produced by Arthur H. Gorson, Bertha Navarro, Alejandro Springall, and Bernard L. Nussbaumer, Cronos first gained international attention at the 1993 Cannes Film Festival before slowly building a cult reputation. It would pave the way for del Toro’s later works like Mimic and The Devil’s Backbone, and it remains one of the most fascinating first features from any contemporary filmmaker.

Janus Films will bring the 4K restoration of Cronos to select theaters beginning December 31, 2025.