Guillermo del Toro has revealed that a part of one of the most graphic scenes in his film Pan’s Labyrinth was inspired by a real-life brawl. The 2006 film has returned to theaters, bringing back its haunting faun, magical fairies, and the horrors of the era in which the story is set. Amid the immersive moments featuring a young girl exploring a mysterious labyrinth and a fantastical world, the film also shows some shocking scenes.

One of the most brutal moments involves a glass bottle attack. Days after the film’s re-release, del Toro has revealed the real-life experience that helped complete the disturbing scene.

Following the re-release of Pan’s Labyrinth, Guillermo del Toro appeared on the On Film...With Kevin McCarthy film podcast. When the host asked him about one of the brutal bottle scenes in the film, the director revealed that it was inspired by a real brawl he had been involved in high school. He recalled getting involved in numerous fights during those years and explained that one such incident taught him that a bottle does not break as easily as one might expect.

"And in one of the brawls, my friends and I got in one of my friends was being beaten with a bottle and hit in the head many times. And the only thing I was punching and getting punched and all I said is, 'Oh, it doesn't break like in the movies,'" he said.

The scene, as del Toro mentioned in the film podcast, showed Vidal brutally taking the life of an innocent father and son, using a glass wine bottle to smash the son’s face. The movie showed some of the haunting brutality that contrasted with the young child's fantasy. To this day, Pan’s Labyrinth remains a cinematic marvel, and it is evident as audiences return to theaters to experience the film in 3D after its rerelease on October 9, 2026.

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Amid the rerelease, Ivana Baquero also opened up about her experience filming the movie and how the role helped her as a performer.

Ivana Baquero played the role of Ofelia in Pan’s Labyrinth when she was just 11 years old. Looking back, the actress described the experience as a fairy tale she would cherish forever. She also reflected on how much she learned from the film and how it helped her grow as a performer.

“It’s transcended time and it’s become a cult movie, which is amazing and so unique,” she said in a Zoom conversation reported by Forbes.

The rerelease will also introduce the film to a new generation of fans, allowing them to experience Guillermo del Toro’s cinematic magic. The film is set in 1944 and follows a young girl named Ofelia and her pregnant mother, Carmen, as they move to a remote military outpost in the countryside, where her stepfather, Captain Vidal, is hunting down rebels. As Guillermo del Toro has explained, the film seamlessly blends reality and imagination, with scenes such as the bottle scene and much more.

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What do you think about Guillermo del Toro's revelation of real brawl behind the bottle scene in Pan's Labyrinth? Let us know in the comments.