Note: This article contains major plot details from Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Frankenstein.’
We have seen every generation of director trying to adapt classics according to the vision they have. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is one such adaptation that we seen unfolding in every mode of entertainment. And as fans of the beloved classic, when the news came out that Guillermo del Toro’s long-awaited ‘Frankenstein’ is finally releasing in 2025 after nearly twenty years of anticipation really made everyone excited.
The film is produced by Netflix and it is said to be a Gothic science fiction film that features an impressive cast led by Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankenstein, Jacob Elordi as the Creature, and Mia Goth as Elizabeth. Christoph Waltz, Felix Kammerer, Charles Dance, and David Bradley complete the ensemble.
The Creature’s Humanity and the Cost of Creation
The principal photography of the film began in Toronto in February 2024 and concluded in September, with additionally filming bits in Edinburgh and Lincolnshire.
After premiering at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on August 30, the film has received a limited theatrical release on October 17 and will arrive on Netflix on November 7 that will stream globally.
For long time fans who have been waiting for this to happen know that Del Toro had been attached to the project since year 2007, calling it his “dream film.”
Over the past years, several versions were developed but never completed due to studio changes and Universal’s focus on its Dark Universe franchise.
After the success of Guillermo del Toro’s revival of the classic movie Pinocchio, Netflix reached out and chose to revive the project in 2023 by giving him full creative control.
Jacob Elordi stepped instead of Andrew Garfield as the Creature following production delays caused by the SAG-AFTRA strikes, which required del Toro to redesign the character in only nine weeks.
The Heart of Del Toro’s Frankenstein
The director had described his version of Frankenstein not as a horror film but as an emotional story about life, death, and loneliness, saying it would focus on “the heart of creation itself.”
According to reviews and the reception it received on the international screening show, Oscar Isaac has given a nuanced performance as Victor, capturing both his intelligence and his self-destruction. Jacob Elordi has bought out the emotional range and physical presence to the Creature, transforming a familiar role into something deeply moving.
The final moments is said to have leave the audiences with a sense of quiet reflection rather than a closure. According to the reviews, the Creature is said to stand alone, watching the ship drift toward the sunrise and reaches out to embrace the light, just as Victor once taught him. It is a simple gesture that feels like both farewell and forgiveness.
In this retelling version of Mary Shelley’s timeless classic, del Toro shows us that every act of creation carries both love and sorrow.
