Can two misfits find love and live happily ever after?

Guillermo del Toro's "The Shape of Water" is being described as an "otherworldly fairy tale," and the gorgeous, dreamy trailer certainly feels like it's set in another world. The story is set in the Cold War era and centers on a mute woman named Elisa (Sally Hawkins), who works as a cleaning lady in a top-secret government lab.

The lab's big prize is a humanoid sea creature named Abe (Doug Jones), whom Elisa bonds with. But Abe's life is in danger from a mad scientist (Michael Shannon) hellbent on dissecting him.

The trailer blends dark themes and dangerous villains with lush visuals and quirky details, much like del Toro's "Pan's Labyrinth." And the fish man at the heart of it recalls to mind the director's "Hellboy."

"The Shape of Water" also stars Octavia Spencer, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Richard Jenkins, and opens in theaters December 8.