'FRANKENSTEIN': EVERYTHING WE KNOW SO FAR ABOUT THE GUILLERMO DEL TORO FILM

Quick Links

  • Does Guillermo del Toro's 'Frankenstein' Have a Release Date?
  • Will Guillermo del Toro's 'Frankenstein' Be in Theaters or on Streaming?
  • Who Will Star in Guillermo del Toro's 'Frankenstein'?
  • What's the Plot of Guillermo del Toro's 'Frankenstein'?
  • Who Is Making 'Frankenstein'?
  • When and Where Is Guillermo del Toro's 'Frankenstein' Filming?

After winning the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature with Pinocchio, Guillermo del Toro is adapting another iconic story. This comes as no surprise, considering the multi-year agreement he struck up with Netflix in August 2020, which allows him to write, produce, and direct his projects with far more creative freedom.

It seems only inevitable, given del Toro's penchant for exploring monsters, that this Frankenstein adaptation would happen sooner or later, particularly given that he's long voiced his admiration for Mary Shelley's works over the years.

With Frankenstein's monster being one of his favorite fictional monsters alongside Godzilla, the Xenomorph from Alien, and the titular creature in John Carpenter's The Thing, it comes as no surprise that del Toro will finally be putting his spin on the iconic Gothic novel, which he deems "the most important book of [his] life." So, what is del Toro's version of Frankenstein shaping up to look like?

Editor's Note: This piece was updated on January 25, 2024.

Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein
DirectorGuillermo del Toro
CastFelix Kammerer, Christian Convery, Jacob Elordi, Lars Mikkelsen, Oscar Isaac, Mia Goth, David Bradley, Christoph Waltz
Main GenreHorror
GenresDrama, Sci-Fi
WritersGuillermo del Toro
Distributor(s)Netflix

Does Guillermo del Toro's 'Frankenstein' Have a Release Date?

There is currently no release date set for del Toro's Frankenstein, but it is likely that the film won't be hitting the screen until late 2025.

Will Guillermo del Toro's 'Frankenstein' Be in Theaters or on Streaming?

Since Netflix is distributing the film, del Toro's Frankenstein will be streaming exclusively on Netflix. However, the film will likely receive some sort of theatrical release as well, especially given del Toro's high pedigree as a filmmaker. The auteur's previous film with the streaming service, the Oscar-winning Pinocchio, received a limited theatrical release before being made available to stream, so that will likely be the case for this film as well.

Who Will Star in Guillermo del Toro's 'Frankenstein'?

Back in March 2023, it was reported that Oscar Isaac (Moon Knight), Mia Goth (Pearl), and Academy Award nominee Andrew Garfield (Tick, Tick... Boom!) would be starring in Guillermo del Toro's new take on Frankenstein. Goth was revealed to be playing Doctor Frankenstein's love interest, but it was unknown which roles Isaac and Garfield would play.

However, plans changed, and in January 2024, it was revealed that Garfield would be dropping out of the film due to scheduling conflicts, with Jacob Elordi (Saltburn) taking over as the Monster. It was also revealed that Isaac would be playing Doctor Frankenstein.

During a live Q&A with Collider's Steve Weintraub at an anniversary screening for Pacific Rim, del Toro revealed that two-time Academy Award-winning actor Christoph Waltz will also be part of the film's A-list cast. Waltz previously worked with del Toro on Pinocchio where he voiced the character of Count Volpe. Waltz is perhaps best known for his Oscar-winning roles in Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds and Django Unchained. He also starred as James Bond's arch-nemesis Blofeld in Spectre and No Time to Die.

Alongside the announcement that Elordi would be joining the film, it was also revealed that Felix Kammerer (All Quiet on the Western Front), Lars Mikkelsen (Ahsoka), David Bradley (Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio), and Christian Convery (Sweet Tooth) were also cast in the movie. Charles Dance (Game of Thrones) will also be a part of the cast.

What's the Plot of Guillermo del Toro's 'Frankenstein'?

If you're familiar with the novel Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, you'll know that it's one of the most iconic Gothic novels of all time. Shelley was a trailblazer of the 1800s and the first author to write a major work in the science fiction genre. As such, her success as a woman in fiction was also completely revolutionary. The fable tells the story of a scientist, Victor Frankenstein, who instills life into his tortured creation. A stitched pastiche of body parts, recycled flesh, and protruding bolts formed this 'monster', and he swiftly abandoned the creature out of fear and revolt. Frankenstein explores the question of what it is, exactly, to be a monster, the nature of beauty, and the monstrous acts that humankind can commit.

Since this ties in heavily with the themes prevalent in del Toro's work, it comes as no surprise that the story means a great deal to him. Given that he's decided to do his own retelling, much like he recently adapted Pinocchio, we can only hazard a guess at how close or far this project will stray from the original source material. However, since he clearly respects Shelley's work tenfold and holds the monster close to his heart, it's easy to assume he'll keep the core foundations of the story intact. After all, just as we saw in The Shape of Water, it's not always the outwardly monstrous beings who do the monstrous things.

del Toro cited this in his 2018 BAFTAs acceptance speech for Best Director, which he won for his work on The Shape of Water:

The most important figure from [the] English legacy is, incredibly for me, a teenager by the name of Mary Shelley. She has remained a figure as important in my life as if it was family. And so many times, when I want to give up, when I think about giving up, when people tell me dreaming of the movies and the stories I dream is impossible, I think of her. ... She gave voice to the voiceless, and presence to the invisible, and showed me that sometimes to talk about monsters, we need to fabricate monsters of our own.

del Toro's work beckons us to question the biases taught to us by society in wickedly inventive ways, and a story about a scientist who abandons his creation to roam the earth cold and alone definitely prompts this kind of debate. After all, is the monster the villain for not understanding how to live in the world, or is Dr. Frankenstein the villain for unleashing him without the proper tools for survival?

Who Is Making 'Frankenstein'?

As previously mentioned, Guillermo del Toro is at the helm of this project. This will be the latest release through his deal with Netflix. del Toro will be directing the film, as well as writing the story and screenplay. He's also listed to produce, alongside Gary Ungar, who he worked with on Pinocchio and The Strain.

Frankenstein is a passion project for the Oscar-winning filmmaker, telling Collider's Steve Weintraub that the film has been years in the making:

"...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, and we're gonna tackle it."

Where music's concerned, industry-renowned Alexandre Desplat has signed on to compose. A masterclass of his profession, Desplat has participated in almost 200 projects at least during his time working in Hollywood. This collaboration won't mark the first between Desplat and del Toro; he worked with him first on The Shape of Water, then the television series Trollhunters, before again reuniting with Pinocchio. It's apparent that they've formed a great comradery through their distinctive visions and shared passions, and we can't wait to watch what else this pair has in store for us.

When and Where Is Guillermo del Toro's 'Frankenstein' Filming?

Filming for Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein is set to begin in February with production largely taking place in Toronto, Canada, which is also where del Toro filmed his last four live-action films, Nightmare Alley, The Shape of Water, Crimson Peak, and Pacific Rim. In late January 2024, a photo was shared on Instagram of del Toro with the cast.

2023-03-20T19:35:46Z dg43tfdfdgfd