Guillermo Del Toro's Frankenstein Cast, Director, Writers, And More Details
Guillermo del Toro may have told the world that his primary interest was in animation after his mesmerizing adaptation of "Pinocchio." However, there's still one live-action monster of a project left on his to-do list. The Oscar-winning director behind the likes of "Shape of Water" and "Pan's Labyrinth" cut his teeth in Hollywood with the impressive underground nightmare, "Mimic." Now, he's looking to return to his horror roots and has his eye on The Modern Prometheus.
Of course, with Frankenstein and his monster, there's a legacy that, like Dracula, Dr. Jekyll (and Mr. Hyde) doesn't just stretch back years, but centuries. Besides the original tale penned by Shelley, there have been umpteenth iterations of the not-so-good Doctor stitching up a walking, talking problem of his own that ends in tragedy. So, when can we expect The Creature to make his way to screens in a brand new form, and who will be there to help him? Here's everything we know so far about del Toro's "Frankenstein."
When will Frankenstein be released?
A project that has been rolling around in the unmatched and incredible imagination of Guillermo del Toro since 2008, "Frankenstein" still has a way to go and hasn't been stamped with a release date just yet. Speaking at a Collider screening of "Pacific Rim," del Toro outlined his plan to start filming in early 2024. "We start shooting in February," del Toro said, "and 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 or something, and we're gonna tackle it."
The director has also been keeping fans on X (formerly Twitter) updated on his scouting schedule as he tours Scotland, looking for beautifully eerie locations for the film. Based on this info, we have a hunch that we'll probably see del Toro's "Frankenstein" movie sometime in 2025.
What is the plot of Frankenstein?
You should know the score by now. Man makes a monster. Monster wants to be accepted as a man. Monster makes it his mission to ruin Maker until they both wander off into the snowy unknown and are reported back by a ship's captain who has seen some truly crazy stuff. Like The Creature at the center of this legendary story, though, Guillermo del Toro has gone through various phases of the version of "Frankenstein" he wanted to tell, with the latest iteration lining up with his most recent and beloved endeavor.
As far back as 2008, del Toro told ComingSoon that he had plans for an adventure story involving Frankenstein's monster, only for producer J. Miles Dale to reveal to A.frame earlier in July 2023 that the twisted father-son relationship will be a focal point of the impending iteration. "In the last couple of films, certainly with 'Nightmare Alley' and then with 'Pinocchio,' we've dealt with the whole father-son relationship. And Guillermo and I both lost our fathers in the last few years. When you have a strong father figure, it's a big part of our lives," revealed Dale. The monster and his maker sound like they're following suit. "This version of 'Frankenstein' very much goes down that thematic road. So, I feel like this is the third film in Guillermo's father trilogy. That's exciting, and when you read the script, it's very emotional and, of course, very iconic." Same old, same old from del Toro, then?
Who is starring in Frankenstein?
Given just how gosh darn great Guillermo del Toro is, it comes as no surprise that the talent involved in adapting Mary Shelley's immortal tale is of a high and stupidly watchable caliber. Confirmed back in March 2023 to be lining up a monster cast, it was revealed that the big three at the center of del Toro's adaptation were Oscar Isaac, Andrew Garfield, and Mia Goth. Currently, there's no confirmation of who is playing whom in del Toro's take.
We're not one to place bets, but something tells us that Garfield will be getting his doctorate for the role of the tortured and confused Doctor Victor Frankenstein, with Isaac left to shuffle around the screen as the creation made from bits of dead and given a lengthy charge. As for Mia Goth, given her previous impressive efforts as Pearl in the horror trilogy, there's a chance we could be getting Goth as the Bride of Frankenstein — a put-together partner that's made at The Creature's request, who meets a pretty grisly end.
Who is directing Frankenstein?
The clue is in the title, folks. Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro will be at the helm of this iconic horror that will get his unmistakable touch. Playing around with the idea since 2008, this isn't just some simple gig, but a passion project hanging around the filmmaker for 15 years. In that time, del Toro has undoubtedly mastered the craft, having dabbled in the likes of a variety of monster movies, making a killer superhero sequel with "Blade II," along with the flourishing franchise that was left on the wayside with "Hellboy" and "Hellboy 2: The Golden Army."
Of course, a fair bit of time has passed since Mary Shelley's little tale of a man playing God was released and a bazillion iterations of The Creature have made it to the screen. Since then, even after the likes of Robert De Niro donning the monstrous moniker, Boris Karloff still stands as the iconic live-action iteration of Frankenstein's monster. The only question here is when and who will take on the title for themselves in del Toro's eagerly anticipated project.
Who is writing and producing Frankenstein?
Mapping out Doctor Frankenstein's well-known science project, Guillermo del Toro will also be writing the screenplay that he's been working on forever. Variety announced that following the release of "Pinocchio," Netflix was keen to revive the project for the director. Aside from the tale of the wooden boy, Netflix has also collaborated with del Toro on the anthology series, "Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities."
On board as producer alongside del Toro will be J. Miles Dale. "Frankenstein" will mark the sixth collaboration between the pair, half of which have had the director at the helm. Gary Unger, who co-produced the adaptation of del Toro's fantastic vampire book series, "The Strain," is also giving the project a necessary jolt. Between this and his handling of other forms of legendary monsters, it's safe to say that "Frankenstein" is in safe hands with the all-star crew set to work the film behind the cameras.
Is Frankenstein part of a cinematic universe?
While there are no plans for Guillermo del Toro to stretch his reach beyond the laboratory of Dr. Frankenstein, the Oscar-winning director originally played around with the idea of working on other iconic movie monsters. According to J. Miles Dale, "At one time, he was going to do the Monster Universe with Universal — 'Frankenstein's Bride,' 'Creature from the Black Lagoon,' 'Invisible Man,' 'The Wolf Man' — and he didn't."
Instead, del Toro has settled for making an unofficial father trilogy consisting of "Nightmare Alley," "Pinocchio," and now "Frankenstein." Coincidentally, there was a time when Netflix struggled for space involving the classic horror tale, with Maggie Gyllenhaal initially tapping the streaming service to home her "Bride of Frankenstein" film before Warner Bros. eventually picked it up. There will be no link between the two, but with both films eyeing release times reasonably close together, it'll undoubtedly make for a match made in movie monster heaven.