‘The Devil’s Backbone’ Returns In New 4K Collector’s Edition

StudioCanal has announced a new 4K UHD Collector’s Edition of The Devil’s Backbone, marking 25 years since Guillermo del Toro’s Spanish-language gothic drama first reached audiences. The release, arriving on 13 April alongside a digital debut, represents the first time the film will be available as a standalone 4K UHD edition, following a recent restoration that screened in cinemas late last year.

Originally released in 2001, The Devil’s Backbone is widely regarded as a defining early work in del Toro’s filmography, positioned alongside later titles such as Pan’s Labyrinth in its exploration of childhood, war and the supernatural. Set during the closing days of the Spanish Civil War, the film follows a young boy sent to an isolated orphanage where the lingering presence of a dead child reveals buried violence within the institution.

The new edition arrives as part of StudioCanal’s ongoing restoration programme, which has seen the company invest heavily in preserving key titles from its catalogue. For The Devil’s Backbone, the restoration brings renewed clarity to the film’s distinct visual palette, shaped by cinematographer Guillermo Navarro, while maintaining the tone that has contributed to its lasting reputation.

The Collector’s Edition package combines both 4K UHD and Blu-ray formats, accompanied by a 64-page booklet and newly commissioned artwork by Krishna Bala Shenoi. Additional physical extras include two posters, positioning the set as a premium release aimed at collectors and long-time followers of del Toro’s work.

Supplementary material forms a significant part of the release. Alongside multiple audio commentaries recorded across different home media editions, the set includes behind-the-scenes footage, deleted scenes, archival featurettes and a new introduction from del Toro himself. Among the archival inclusions are ‘Of Ghosts and Fauns’, which examines the film’s historical context, and ‘Qué es un Fantasma?’, a making-of documentary exploring its production.

Produced by Pedro Almodóvar and featuring a cast led by Fernando Tielve, Eduardo Noriega, Marisa Paredes and Federico Luppi, the film remains a notable collaboration within Spanish cinema at the turn of the millennium. Its continued presence in curated retrospectives has reinforced its status, with further screenings planned at the BFI Southbank later this year as part of a broader focus on del Toro’s career.

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The Devil’s Backbone trailer