Richard Jenkins, Doug Jones, Michael Stuhlbarg and Octavia Spencer all co-star.

Nearly a year after the release of “Crimson Peak”, Guillermo del Toro is officially at work on his next film. Fox Searchlight just announced that production has begun on “The Shape of Water,” a romantic fantasy with a high-profile ensemble led by Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins, Doug Jones, Michael Stuhlbarg and Octavia Spencer.

READ MORE: Guillermo del Toro Interview: ‘At Home with Monsters’ and That Missing Sketchbook – Exclusive

Described as “an other-worldly story, set against the backdrop of Cold War era America circa 1963,” del Toro’s “mysterious and magical journey” stars Hawkins as a mute janitor in a lab housing an “amphibious man.” In a statement, producer J. Miles Dale said that “It feels like we have an embarrassment of riches on this film. An ensemble of incredible actors who are working at the very top of their craft, a wildly original story from Guillermo’s one-of-a-kind mind, and the brilliant team at Fox Searchlight to shepherd us along. We’re all very excited to see how far we can take it.”

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Del Toro received an Oscar nomination for “Pan’s Labyrinth” and is also well known for directing the “Hellboy” movies, “Cronos” and “Pacific Rim,” among others. Fox Searchlight plans a 2017 release for “The Shape of Water.”

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