Riffing on the regular format, del Toro pays homage to the masters of horror, B-movie classics and a few of his own works along the way. The intro plays like a horror movie guessing game, featuring cameos from Alfred Hitchcock, Phantom of the Paradise's masked rocker and the titular automobile from 1977's The Car.

Sitting alongside the crash course in horror film history is a run through of del Toro's own contributions to the genre. His 2006 Oscar-nominated indie Pan's Labyrinth is all over the intro, as well as a few blink-and-you'll-miss-them nods to his 1993 feature debut, Cronos.

In recent years, The Simpsons has handed over its iconic opening and "couch gag" to a number of celebrated artists, including Banksy, animator Bill Plympton and the crew from Robot Chicken.

STORY: Guillermo del Toro Puts His Spin on 'Simpsons' Opening for Halloween Special

Del Toro most recently directed the global blockbuster Pacific Rim. His next film is the haunted-house movie Crimson Peak starring Charlie Hunnam, Tom Hiddleston, Jessica Chastain and Mia Wasikowska.

The Simpsons ' "Treehouse of Horror XXIV" airs Sunday, Oct. 6.

Twitter: @misterpatches