Guillermo del Toro is no stranger to developing multiple projects at once. We just learned that he will be doing a small black and white film prior to shooting Pacific Rim 2 next year for an April 7, 2017 release date (not to mention the Pacific Rim animated series). He’s also producing The Strain TV series, debuting on FX, and that’s just the stuff he’s openly talking about.

Well, that stuff and his long delayed dream project, an adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft’s At the Mountains of Madness. Last week we learned that he was considering a toned-down PG-13 version of that film in order to get it made. While that’s still true, that doesn’t mean it will be the only version that’s out there. He’s also considering shooting all the gore for a simultaneously released Unrated Cut. In fact, that’s his preferred plan. Hit the jump for more.

Steve spoke with del Toro and asked if there was a chance of an At the Mountains of Madness Unrated Cut hitting Blu-ray after the initial PG-13 theatrical run. Del Toro was quick to reply that he’s not only considering that option for Blu-ray, but for a simultaneous theatrical release as well:

“That’s actually exactly what I’m thinking. The way I’m thinking is, PG-13 goes a long way. It’s not that the novel is graphic, but people forget that there are crucial elements in the novel that are pretty horrific. Like the human autopsy, you know? I think that’s a dark moment. So what I would like to do is shoot it, as dark as it is, in an unrated cut and a PG-13 cut. Ideally they would be released simultaneously if that’s at all possible. We could release one [cut] in a certain format and the other in a different format with the hopes that we can offer more intense moments in one cut and equally intense moments but without graphic content in the other cut. Lovecraft was famous for suggestion, and a lot of the piece can suggest, but there are [certain moments] you need to show. Part of it is budget, part of it is rating. The one thing I’ll say is that at this stage for me, Mountains is not made. So I’d rather make it in a way that doesn’t compromise the content, or not do it. And, in the last few years, what has changed is that I’ve seen PG-13 films that are very intense. For me Life of Pi, the first 25 minutes of that movie were really very intense with the violence on the boat and the sinking. I came to think, “you know what? It is possible to go to places that are intense but still have a strong appeal for a rating.” That, I think, is the main thing that changed.”

When asked about the possibility of shooting Mountains directly after Pacific Rim 2, he was slightly more circumspect:

“The only thing I know is that I have two studios that like the project very much, which is Universal and Legendary. Legendary came very close to financing and Universal came famously close to financing and we were very much getting there. So I think that there’s a chance we’re still keeping it alive. What normally happens is I have stacks and stacks of beautiful designs. I have 30, 40, 50 pieces of key art. I have maquettes. I have concept art. I have hundreds of storyboards. And of all the things that have gone undone so far, the one that I would most like to share with the world is Mountains.”

Does the prospect of an Unrated Cut raise your hopes for At the Mountains of Madness? I think I’m fine either way as long as the movie is good. Here’s more from our exclusive interview with del Toro:

Be sure to check back soon for the rest of Steve’s interview.