There are actually quite a few things that Guillermo del Toro risks in The Shape of Water beyond the creature and human romance story.
We previously learned that at first Guillermo del Toro was considering making the movie in black and white, which would have been another hurdle, at least in terms of selling the movie to a general audience.
Or in the case of why the movie is in color, the occasional sacrifice to keep the studio on board is necessary, too.
The interview also touches on the fact that the main characters don’t speak to one another, meaning the love story has to transcend beyond dialogue.