Ron Perlman has long been a favourite collaborator of fantasy filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, appearing across multiple films from Cronos to Pacific Rim. In 2009, Perlman singled out del Toro's 2006 film Pan's Labyrinth as one of his most cherished works of cinema, drawing a parallel between the director's visual storytelling and Gabriel García Márquez's pioneering literary approach to magical realism. Perlman emphasised that the film's unique blend of fantasy and grounded narrative could only exist as cinema and represented something entirely original.

Set in 1944 Spain during the fascist regime, Pan's Labyrinth follows a young girl named Ofelia who encounters both fantastical creatures and harrowing domestic cruelty. Del Toro's distinctive approach makes the historical horrors—including a sadistic military stepfather and state violence—as surreal and nightmarish as the magical perils within the film's labyrinth. The film's enduring recognition stems from del Toro's ability to weave Spain's dark history with timeless fairy tale traditions, creating a work that resonates as both a 21st-century cinematic milestone and a testament to storytelling's universal power.