Posted in: Movies, Netflix | Tagged: frankenstein

Frankenstein Is "Such Dark Material" But "Approached With So Much Joy"

Oscar Isaac says Guillermo del Toro's upcoming adaptation of Frankenstein is "such dark material, but was approached with so much joy."

There is something so glorious about passion projects finally making it to the light of day, and Frankenstein is one of those projects for writer and director Guillermo del Toro. Frankenstein is a story that has been influencing creatives and getting adapted since Mary Shelly first wrote them in 1818. It's often credited as one of the first science fiction novels, but the existence of the Creature and the blend of Gothic horror mean most people see this story as something frightening. However, del Toro has been fairly upfront about the fact that this is not a horror movie, and it seems that this approach carried over into the filming process as well. Star Oscar Isaac spoke to SFX Magazine and revealed that, despite the dark material, they approached it with joy.

"It was the most fucking fun I've ever had in my life," said Isaac. "Running around in the rain, up and down steps, this Christ-like thing on a crucifix, and Guillermo in the corner, screaming! It was hard to fathom that it was actually happening. It's such dark material, but was approached with so much joy. Like 14-year-olds had keys to the kingdom – it had that kind of energy to it."

We also heard from Jacob Elordi that the approach for the Creature moved away from monster and more into something beautiful, so del Toro is very much putting his own spin on this source material. When people think of Victor Frankenstein, they probably think of Colin Clive in the 1931 movie. That really leaned into the idea of the "mad scientist," a trope that has followed this material ever since, but Isaac revealed that wasn't the angle del Toro was interested in exploring.

"[Guillermo] was much more interested in the emotional underpinnings of what the character means to him than the stuff we've seen, which I guess is 'scientist gone mad'", says Isaac. "There's elements of that, but we approach it more as an artist. And really, this idea of generational abuse and trauma that gets passed down, and how he continues to pass that down towards his creation. And ultimately, the reckoning that happens because of that."

Frankenstein made its debut at the Venice International Film Festival at the end of August to mostly positive reviews. This is considered one of the "big ones" for Netflix when it comes to its upcoming fall slate so there is a decent chance we'll see this film get a FYC campaign.

Frankenstein: Summary, Cast List, Release Date

Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro adapts Mary Shelley's classic tale of Victor Frankenstein, a brilliant but egotistical scientist who brings a creature to life in a monstrous experiment that ultimately leads to the undoing of both the creator and his tragic creation.

Frankenstein, written and directed by Guillermo del Toro, stars Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, Felix Kammerer, David Bradley, Lars Mikkelsen, Christian Convery, with Charles Dance, and Christoph Waltz. It will be released in select theaters on October 17, 2025, and stream on Netflix on November 7, 2025.

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