Some monsters and their creators just don’t die. This is also shown by the first Netflix insight into Guillermo del Toro’s adaptation of Frankenstein this year.
Of all the horror movies that await us in 2025, Netflix has a special treat in store this year. None other than fantasy master Guillermo del Toro is breathing new life into the story of Frankenstein. A first image of this is now finally available.
Guillermo del Toro gives Netflix first look at his heart project Frankenstein
1818 by Mary Shelley in her gothic novel Frankenstein * created, the scientist Dr. Viktor Frankenstein and his creature, assembled from body parts, have been among the most famous monster stories worldwide for over 200 years. At 8kStreaming alone, the number of entries for Frankenstein film adaptations reaches over 180.
This year, Guillermo del Toro is also trying his hand at an adaptation of the horror icon. His fans, of course, know that the Mexican filmmaker loves monsters. Works like Pan’s Labyrinth, Shape of Water and Hellboy are ample proof of that. Consequentially, this adaptation has been a labor of love for quite some time, according to Variety, and the director even has a Frankenstein room in his house in Los Angeles:
This movie has been in my head since I was a kid – for 50 years! I tried to make it for 20 to 25 years. In fact, some might even think I’m obsessed with Frankenstein. They’d probably be right. Over the decades, the character has become intertwined with my soul and has become a kind of autobiography. It doesn’t get much more personal than that. I hope you like this first glimpse.
The first Frankenstein image shows Star Wars and Dune star Oscar Isaac in the role of Dr. Frankenstein, who is apparently passionately arguing his scientific theories of life and death in front of a large lecture hall. However, we are not yet given a glimpse of the monster that goes with it, played by Jacob Elordi (who replaced Andrew Garfield). However, selected journalists have already been shown a video of him in Frankenstein’s bed: with long black hair, seams in his gray skin and glittering red eyes.
It is not yet known how closely Guillermo del Toro’s Netflix film will adhere to the book, while some assume a classic adaptation, there have also been reports that the horror film is set 40 years after the creature’s awakening and that a certain Dr. Pretorius (Christoph Waltz) goes in search of the monster. Mia Goth (Pearl) is also part of the cast as the noblewoman Elizabeth.
After three years, Frankenstein is del Toro’s first feature film since the animated film Pinocchio, which he also directed for Netflix (in addition to the series Guillermo Del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities).
When does Guillermo de Toro’s Frankenstein start on Netflix?
Frankenstein on Netflix does not yet have an exact start date, but it does have a very specific release period: Guillermo del Toro’s horror film will be released on the streaming service during November 2025.