Frankenstein (2025 film)

Production History and Development

Guillermo del Toro's passion for Mary Shelley's novel dates to his childhood, where he saw the Creature as a saintly figure, and he first publicly declared his desire to make a faithful film adaptation in 2007. He described it as a Miltonian tragedy and a dream project, initially developing it at Universal Pictures under a first-look deal announced in September 2008. Del Toro cited Frank Darabont's script for the 1994 film Mary Shelley's Frankenstein as a key reference point, though he felt the best moments of the novel were yet to be filmed. The filmmaker was deeply inspired by Bernie Wrightson's 1983 illustrated compilation Bernie Wrightson's Frankenstein, and he wanted Wrightson himself to design the Creature. By 2009, del Toro had cast his frequent collaborator Doug Jones in the role of the Creature and had initiated makeup tests, envisioning an asymmetric monster closer to Wrightson's illustrations. The project was shelved by Universal, however, as the studio pivoted towards its planned Dark Universe franchise. Over the following decade, del Toro expressed both reverence and trepidation towards the project, calling it the pinnacle and admitting he had chickened out of making it for over 25 years, fearing the end of the dream. In 2020, he mused that the novel's complexity might require two to three films to adapt properly. The project was finally revived in 2023 after del Toro signed a multi-year deal with Netflix following his Oscar win for Pinocchio. Andrew Garfield was in early talks to play the Creature, but scheduling conflicts arising from the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strikes led to his departure. Jacob Elordi was recommended to del Toro by a hairstylist from the set of Priscilla and was cast in January 2024, forcing the director to scrap nine months of design work for Garfield and redesign the Creature for the taller actor in just nine weeks.

Filming and Canadian Production

Principal photography for Frankenstein commenced on March 4, 2024, with a significant portion of the shoot taking place in Toronto, Ontario. The use of Toronto as a primary production hub provided a substantial economic and creative contribution to the Canadian film industry. Director Guillermo del Toro stated that the film would not be a conventional horror movie but an incredibly emotional story, a tone that influenced the production design and shooting style on the Toronto sets. Following the Toronto shoot, the production moved to the United Kingdom for additional filming in September 2024. Key UK locations included the historic Royal Mile in Edinburgh, Scotland, which provided a period backdrop, Hospitalfield House in Arbroath, Angus, and the stately Burghley House in Stamford, Lincolnshire. These locations were instrumental in creating the film's Gothic European atmosphere. Star Oscar Isaac highlighted the unique perspective del Toro brought to the material, describing it as a very European story told through a Latin American, Mexican, Catholic point of view, resulting in a production characterized by high passion. The film wrapped principal photography in September 2024 after approximately six months of shooting.

Plot and Narrative Structure

The film employs a complex narrative frame, opening in 1857 with the Royal Danish Navy ship Horisont trapped in Arctic ice. Captain Anderson and his crew rescue a gravely injured Victor Frankenstein, who has a prosthetic leg. The Creature boards the ship and demands Victor, leading to a confrontation before Victor begins recounting his tale. The first major act, Victor's Tale, details his childhood trauma following his mother's death in childbirth, his abusive relationship with his father Baron Leopold, and his expulsion from the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh for the sacrilegious act of reanimating a corpse. Funded by the dying arms merchant Henrich Harlander, who desires a brain transplant into a new body, Victor builds a Creature from parts of Crimean War casualties. After Harlander's death, Victor animates the being but proves a cruel and fearful creator, eventually burning his own laboratory in an act of abandonment that severs his leg. The second act, The Creature's Tale, is presented from the monster's perspective. He finds refuge at a farm, secretly aiding a family and being taught to speak and read by their blind patriarch, who calls him the Spirit of the Forest. After the blind man's death, the Creature discovers his origins and confronts Victor at his brother William's wedding. A tragic struggle ensues where Victor accidentally shoots and kills Elizabeth, and William is mortally wounded, calling Victor a monster with his dying breath. The Creature comforts the dying Elizabeth before Victor pursues him to the Arctic. The film concludes back on the ship, where a remorseful Victor and the Creature reconcile as father and son before Victor dies. The Creature frees the ship from the ice, and Captain Anderson abandons his pursuit, leaving the immortal Creature alone to face the sun.

Cast and Character Details

The film features an extensive ensemble cast led by Oscar Isaac as Baron Victor Frankenstein, the arrogant surgeon whose god complex leads to ruin. Jacob Elordi portrays the Creature, bringing a physically imposing yet deeply vulnerable performance to the role that earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Mia Goth performs in a dual role as Lady Elizabeth Harlander, William's fiancée who shows kindness to the Creature, and as Victor's late mother, Baroness Claire Frankenstein, who died in childbirth. Felix Kammerer plays William Frankenstein, Victor's younger brother who becomes a casualty of his sibling's ambition. Christoph Waltz appears as the manipulative financier Henrich Harlander, who funds Victor's work for his own ends. Charles Dance portrays Baron Leopold Frankenstein, Victor's oppressive and renowned physician father. David Bradley brings warmth to the role of the Blind Man, the Creature's only true friend. Lars Mikkelsen plays Captain Anderson, the pragmatic leader of the Arctic expedition. The supporting cast includes Burn Gorman as an executioner, Ralph Ineson as Professor Krempe who oversees Victor's disciplinary hearing, and Nikolaj Lie Kaas as Chief Officer Larsen.

• Oscar Isaac as Baron Victor Frankenstein
• Jacob Elordi as the Creature
• Mia Goth as Lady Elizabeth Harlander / Baroness Claire Frankenstein
• Christoph Waltz as Henrich Harlander
• Charles Dance as Baron Leopold Frankenstein
• Felix Kammerer as William Frankenstein
• David Bradley as the Blind Man
• Lars Mikkelsen as Captain Anderson
• Burn Gorman as an Executioner
• Ralph Ineson as Professor Krempe
• Nikolaj Lie Kaas as Chief Officer Larsen
• Christian Convery as young Victor

Release Strategy and Festival Circuit

Frankenstein had a prestigious international festival tour prior to its public release. It had its world premiere in the main competition of the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on August 30, 2025. For its North American premiere, the film was selected for the Special Presentations program of the Toronto International Film Festival, where it screened on September 8, 2025, a key stop that highlighted its Canadian production ties. The film continued its global festival run with a Gala Presentation at the 30th Busan International Film Festival on September 18, 2025, and as a Headline Gala of the 69th BFI London Film Festival on October 13, 2025. It also screened at the Morelia International Film Festival for its Mexican premiere. Theatrically, the film was released in select United States theatres on October 17, 2025, with special presentations on 35mm film and in IMAX formats to highlight its visual craftsmanship. Its global streaming release followed on Netflix on November 7, 2025, making it accessible to a worldwide audience. In Mexico, theatrical distribution was handled by Pimienta Films. Following its successful awards season run, the film was announced for a physical home media release as part of the prestigious Criterion Collection on February 23, 2026. The Criterion release, scheduled for October 27, 2026, will include both the theatrical cut and a 158-minute director's cut titled Frankenstein: The Reborn Cut on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray and DVD formats.

• August 30, 2025: World premiere at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival.
• September 8, 2025: North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.
• September 18, 2025: Gala Presentation at the 30th Busan International Film Festival.
• October 13, 2025: Headline Gala at the 69th BFI London Film Festival.
• October 17, 2025: Limited theatrical release begins in the United States.
• November 7, 2025: Global streaming release on Netflix.
• October 27, 2026: Scheduled Criterion Collection physical media release.

Critical Reception and Major Awards

The film received generally positive reviews from critics upon its festival and theatrical release. On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, 85% of 381 critics' reviews were positive, with an average rating of 7.6/10. The site's consensus highlighted the film's focus on humanity and Jacob Elordi's standout performance. Metacritic assigned a weighted average score of 78 out of 100 based on 58 critics, indicating generally favourable reviews. Critics frequently described the film as a work of Gothic romanticism, comparing its lavish, tragic tone to del Toro's own Crimson Peak, Neil Jordan's Interview with the Vampire, and Francis Ford Coppola's Bram Stoker's Dracula. Alissa Wilkinson of The New York Times selected it as a Critic's Pick, praising its embrace of the novel's debt to Paradise Lost and its transformation into a distinctly del Toro tale of monstrous fathers and abandoned sons. The Hollywood Reporter's David Rooney called it a visually sumptuous retelling that transcends horror for grand Romantic tragedy. The film was recognized as one of the top ten films of 2025 by both the National Board of Review and the American Film Institute. At the 83rd Golden Globe Awards, it received five nominations, including Best Motion Picture Drama. Its greatest acclaim came at the 98th Academy Awards, where it secured nine nominations and won three competitive Oscars.

Creative Influences, Music and Design

Guillermo del Toro's creative vision for Frankenstein was shaped by a lifetime of admiration for the myth and a wide array of artistic influences. He cited the classic Universal horror cycle, particularly James Whale's 1931 Frankenstein and its 1935 sequel Bride of Frankenstein, as foundational. The illustrated work of Bernie Wrightson remained a primary visual touchstone throughout the project's long development. Del Toro also drew from a canon of Gothic cinema beyond horror, naming Alfred Hitchcock's Rebecca, William Wyler's Wuthering Heights, Joseph L. Mankiewicz's Dragonwyck and Charles Frank's Uncle Silas as key inspirations for atmosphere and tone. He explained his interpretive philosophy by stating that when a myth becomes universal, any sincere and powerful interpretation is equally faithful. The film's musical score was composed by Alexandre Desplat, marking his third collaboration with del Toro after The Shape of Water and Pinocchio. Desplat described his approach as lyrical and emotional rather than horrific, aiming to match the film's operatic and tragic scope. Early promotional footage shown at a Netflix event was scored to Wojciech Kilar's music from Bram Stoker's Dracula, further signalling the film's Gothic romantic aspirations. The production's acclaimed design, which won Oscars for Costume Design and Production Design, realized del Toro's vision of a world that was both historically grounded and darkly fantastical.

Themes and Del Toro's Interpretation

Del Toro's adaptation foregrounds the thematic core of Shelley's novel while imprinting it with his signature preoccupations. The director described the story as a religion to him, with the Creature taking on a saintly or messianic quality from his Catholic upbringing. The film meticulously explores the toxic father-son dynamic between Victor and the Creature, framing Victor's failure as a creator as a form of abusive parenting that mirrors his own upbringing under Baron Leopold. This focus on monstrous fathers and abandoned sons is a recurrent theme in del Toro's work. The narrative structure, which dedicates a full act to the Creature's perspective, emphasizes his innate humanity, his quest for knowledge and connection, and the tragedy of his eternal isolation. The film grapples with themes of creation, responsibility, rejection and the search for identity. While adhering to the novel's tragic spirit, del Toro's version is notably operatic and emotionally heightened, using lavish Gothic visuals to externalize the characters' internal torments. The final reconciliation between creator and creation, addressed as father and son, offers a moment of poignant closure that remains faithful to the pathos of the original text while delivering a distinctly del Toro conclusion.

Questions about Frankenstein (2025 film)

Where was Frankenstein (2025) filmed?

Frankenstein was filmed primarily in Toronto, Canada, with principal photography beginning there on March 4, 2024. Additional filming took place in the United Kingdom in September 2024. Specific UK locations included the historic Royal Mile in Edinburgh, Scotland, Hospitalfield House in Arbroath, Angus, and Burghley House in Stamford, Lincolnshire. The production concluded its filming schedule in September 2024.

Who stars in Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein?

The film stars Oscar Isaac as Baron Victor Frankenstein, the brilliant but egotistical surgeon. Jacob Elordi portrays the Creature, Victor's monstrous creation. The supporting cast includes Mia Goth in dual roles as Lady Elizabeth Harlander and Baroness Claire Frankenstein, Christoph Waltz as the arms merchant Henrich Harlander, and Felix Kammerer as William Frankenstein. Additional key cast members are David Bradley as the Blind Man, Lars Mikkelsen as Captain Anderson, and Charles Dance as Baron Leopold Frankenstein.

What is the difference between the theatrical and director's cut?

The primary difference is the runtime and content, with the director's cut being longer. Titled Frankenstein: The Reborn Cut, this version runs for 158 minutes. It was announced as part of the film's physical home media release through the Criterion Collection. The Criterion 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray, and DVD set, scheduled for release on October 27, 2026, will include both this extended director's cut and the original theatrical version of the film.

How does del Toro's version differ from other Frankenstein adaptations?

Guillermo del Toro described his film not as a conventional horror movie but as an incredibly emotional story and a Gothic romantic epic. He drew significant visual inspiration from Bernie Wrightson's illustrated compilation, Bernie Wrightson's Frankenstein. Del Toro also stated his philosophical approach, believing any interpretation of a universal myth like Frankenstein is equally faithful if executed with sincerity and personal vision. The film balances this personal style with a focus on the novel's tragic spirit and Miltonian themes of fathers and sons.

What is the plot of Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein (2025)?

The film follows Victor Frankenstein, a brilliant but egotistical surgeon obsessed with curing death, who creates a living Creature from assembled body parts. After the Creature escapes, it seeks understanding and companionship, leading to tragic confrontations with its creator. The narrative is framed by Victor recounting his tale to a ship's captain in the Arctic after being pursued by the Creature. The story explores their fraught relationship, culminating in a reconciliation where they address each other as father and son before Victor dies. The film is structured in two parts, first from Victor's perspective and then from the Creature's, detailing their mutual destruction and eventual understanding.

When was Frankenstein (2025) released in theatres and on Netflix?

Frankenstein had a limited theatrical release in the United States starting on October 17, 2025. The film was then globally released on the Netflix streaming platform on November 7, 2025. Prior to these dates, it premiered at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on August 30, 2025. It also screened at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2025, and the BFI London Film Festival on October 13, 2025. The release strategy included select theatrical screenings, some in 35mm and IMAX formats, before its widespread availability on Netflix.

Sources and further reading

• Frankenstein (2025 film) (Wikipedia)
• Frankenstein (2025) directed by Guillermo del Toro (letterboxd.com)
• Frankenstein (2025) (rottentomatoes.com)

Checked by the Yadude Books desk. Last updated 2026-10-27.