Guillermo del Toro has publicly denied that he will attend Crunchyroll’s Anime Future Forum after the Oscar-winning filmmaker was announced as one of the event’s major guests. Del Toro addressed the reported appearance in a brief post on X, writing, “Not me. No voy,” with the Spanish phrase meaning, “I’m not going.”
The situation has since been clarified by Crunchyroll. In a statement shared with Cartoon Brew, a company representative confirmed that del Toro is “no longer joining us” for the Anime Future Forum.
Guillermo del Toro Will Not Attend Crunchyroll’s Event
Crunchyroll originally announced del Toro as part of the lineup for its inaugural Anime Future Forum, which is scheduled for October 7 at New York’s Javits Center ahead of New York Comic Con. The event is designed as an industry gathering focused on the future of anime, with discussions planned around fandom, technology, storytelling, and intellectual property.
Del Toro was listed alongside filmmaker James Gunn and Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse directors Bob Persichetti and Justin K. Thompson. The original announcement also included prominent figures from the Japanese animation industry, including representatives from TOHO, MAPPA, and Aniplex.
However, del Toro directly contradicted reports of his involvement after being tagged in coverage of the lineup. His short response,
“Not me. No voy,”
quickly raised questions about whether his appearance had been confirmed before the announcement.
Crunchyroll later told Cartoon Brew that del Toro would no longer be participating, while adding that a final full lineup will be announced closer to the event.
Del Toro’s name was particularly notable because of his long-standing appreciation for animation and Japanese cinema. The filmmaker has frequently spoken about animation as a serious artistic medium and has also discussed the influence of Hayao Miyazaki’s work on his childhood.
Crunchyroll’s Anime Future Forum is expected to bring together executives and creators from across animation, film, television, gaming, and other entertainment industries. While del Toro is now out of the event, the gathering is still set to feature Japanese industry leaders alongside international filmmakers and executives.
For now, Crunchyroll has not provided further details about why del Toro will no longer attend. The company said its final lineup will be revealed closer to the October event, leaving open the possibility of additional changes before the Anime Future Forum takes place.
