Two decades after Guillermo del Toro’s hauntingly beautiful masterpiece first charmed and haunted people, it is ready to cast its spell again. The Oscar-winning movie, Pan's Labyrinth, has been restored in 4K, breathing new life into its eerie world. And this year, it returns to the iconic Cannes Film Festival for a prestigious special screening, which will be a full circle after it earned a 20-minute standing ovation at its 2006 premiere. 

The movie’s long-awaited arrival is also to celebrate its 20th anniversary this year.

Guillermo del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth will be featured in the Cannes Classics section and is scheduled as a pre-opening screening on May 12 at the Debussy Theater. The director himself is expected to be in attendance at the event. He had dedicated much of his time to supervising the film’s 4K restoration from the original 35mm negative.

As for the program, the line-up will include around 20 more restored films, such as Sugata Sanshiro, The Devils, The Stranger, and Farewell My Concubine. After Pan’s Labyrinth’s Cannes screening, the movie, which is now acquired by Cineverse, will return to theaters on October 9, 2026, to celebrate its 20th anniversary. It was a huge success back in 2006 and saw a new interest last year following the release of Del Toro’s Frankenstein. 

It had even surpassed Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar and more titles to rank on the domestic iTunes charts on November 18, 2025. This new curiosity around the 2000’s film suggests that an entire new generation of viewers is intrigued by the director’s storytelling. And that interest has led them toward the classic, Pan’s Labyrinth.

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Although much different from Frankenstein, Del Toro’s 2006 movie still revolves around terrifying creatures, innocence, and the harsh reality of life. 

Set in 1944 Spain, Pan's Labyrinth follows young Ofelia, her mother, and her stepfather, Captain Vidal. One part of the story brings light to the brutality of Captain Vidal as he hunts down the Spanish Maquis. And the other part of the movie explores the fantastical world that Ofelia encountered.

There, she meets a mysterious faun, played by Doug Jones, who tells her she is the reincarnation of Princess Moanna and must complete three tasks to prove her royal identity. Along the way, she encounters several horrifying creatures, and at the same time, the film shows real-world terror. This powerful merge of imagination and reality is an example of Guillermo del Toro's brilliance. And over time, the movie did not fade away but rather found a new audience and a wave of appreciation.

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Do you think Pan’s Labyrinth could get yet another standing ovation tribute at Cannes this year? Share your thoughts.