He's alive! Frankenstein is ready for his close-up as Christian Bale readies to portray the monster on film.
These actors are bringing Mary Shelley’s creation back to life.
The monster is back!
Maggie Gyllenhaal took to Instagram on April 4 to debut test photos of two of the characters in the forthcoming film The Bride, which she is directing. The horror-romance stars Christian Bale as Frankenstein’s monster and is set to be released in October 2025. Bale is the second of three actors to play the famed literary creature in a string of new adaptations.
Here’s a look at the three most recent adaptations of Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel.
The Bride
Playing Frankenstein: Christian Bale
Director: Maggie Gyllenhaal
What’s it about? According to the Hollywood Reporter, the film is set in 1930s Chicago and follows Frankenstein’s pursuit of a female companion. With the help of Dr. Euphronios, Frankenstein reanimates the corpse of a murdered woman to bring his titular bride to life.
Stars who round out the cast: Jessie Buckley, Annette Bening, Penélope Cruz, Peter Sarsgaard
What's been said about the movie: Sarsgaard, who is married to Gyllenhaal, told the Independent in February that The Bride is a “deeply romantic, wild, punk monster movie.”
“I think it’s going to be energizing! It’s rambunctious! People are going to be very surprised that this is Maggie’s second movie. It is nothing at all like The Lost Daughter,” he said.
Expected release: Oct. 2, 2025.
Frankenstein
Playing Frankenstein: Jacob Elordi replaced Andrew Garfield in this adaptation. Garfield was originally cast as Frankenstein’s monster but had to step away from the project due to scheduling conflicts following the SAG-AFTRA strike, Deadline reported in January.
Director: Guillermo del Toro
What’s it about? The horror film, which will be released on Netflix, tells the classic tale of Victor Frankenstein, a scientist who gives life to a tortured creature made of corpses. Horrified by what he’s done, Frankenstein abandons the monster, who eventually seeks revenge.
Stars who round out the cast: Oscar Isaac, Mia Goth, Lars Mikkelsen, Christoph Waltz, David Bradley, Felix Kammerer, Christian Convery
What's been said about the movie: In a 2023 interview with Collider, del Toro said “It’s a movie I have been wanting to do for 50 years since I saw the first Frankenstein.”
“I had an epiphany, and it’s basically a movie that required a lot of growth and a lot of tools that I couldn’t have done 10 years ago. Now I’m brave or crazy enough, and, and, we’re gonna tackle it,” he told the outlet.
Del Toro also told Collider back in 2010 that his favorite novel in the world is Frankenstein.
Expected release: According to Netflix’s Tudum, the release date has yet to be announced.
Lisa Frankenstein
Playing Frankenstein: Cole Sprouse plays a version of the monster known as the Creature, a reanimated 19th century corpse.
Director: Zelda Williams
What’s it about? Set in the 1980s, this coming-of-age flick chronicles the relationship between teenage outcast Lisa Swallows and a reanimated corpse known as the Creature. Their twisted romance blossoms as they venture down a violent path filled with crime and murder.
Stars who round out the cast: Kathryn Newton, Liza Soberano, Joe Chrest, Carla Gugino
What's been said about the movie: Sprouse’s character, the Creature, spends very little time speaking in the film, which he told Yahoo Entertainment he actually enjoyed.
“One of the things that excited me about [the role] was that I got to shut up for a little bit,” he said.
To ensure that Newton didn’t feel stranded in a scene, Sprouse said he “snuck a bunch of grunts and moans in there.”
Released: Feb. 9, 2024
