A new biopic is in development about one of the most legendary authors of all time. Variety reports that Fulwell 73 and Rose Pictures (Kill Your Darlings) are teaming up to co-produce Mary's Monster, a biopic about Frankenstein author Mary Shelley. The film follows Shelley as she struggles to complete her iconic gothic horror novel which was first published in 1818.
Farren Blackburn (Daredevil, A Discovery of Witches) is on board to direct the feature. The script comes from Deobrah Baxtrom (Living With Frankenstein), and an included logline for the plot reads, "Terrified of giving voice to the darkness of her subconscious mind, Mary Shelley locks into a dangerous battle with her own ‘inner monster’ as she struggles to write her seminal science fiction novel, Frankenstein.”
Frankenstein, now a 204-year-old story, is considered to be the world's first science fiction novel. It has inspired countless adaptations throughout every artistic medium. According to legend, Shelley came up with the story of Frankenstein at age 19 when coming up with ghost stories with her husband Percy Bysshe Shelley and the poet Lord Byron. The author died of a suspected brain tumor at the age of 53.
Heather Greenwood and Leo Pearlman are producing Mary's Monster for Fulwell 73. Roe Ganguzza, Max Born, Damon Lane, and Jake Alden-Falconer are also producing for Rose Pictures. No casting information has yet been revealed. Mary Shelley was previously played by Elle Fanning in the 2017 biopic Mary Shelley as her personal life has also served as creative inspiration.
Several Movies Based on Universal's Monsters Are In the Works
Meanwhile, the Universal Monsters, which includes the Shelley-created Frankenstein's monster, are making a resurgence in recent years. Leigh Whannell's The Invisible Man, created in collaboration with Universal and Blumhouse, was a big hit when it was released in 2020. Despite its minimal budget, the film was very well-received by critics and horror fans alike, making it one of that year's best genre movies.
The success of The Invisible Man is also bringing about more of these kinds of reboot movies based on the classic Universal Monsters. Dracula continues to inspire various projects including an upcoming movie from Karyn Kusama. Chloe Zhao will also develop an "original, futuristic, sci-fi Western" based on the Dracula story while the comedy Renfield will give it another reimagining with Nicolas Cage as the famous vampire. Ryan Gosling is also set to star in a planned Wolf Man reboot.
It's unclear when we will see the next movie based on Frankenstein's monster, but it's just a matter of time. Being the Ricardos star Javier Bardem has said he hopes to play the monster in a Bride of Frankenstein movie. He said as much in a SiriusXM interview, but noted that he has no idea if that rumored project will end up happening.
"Me personally, I would love to play Frankenstein," he said. "I mean, actually, I would like to play both Doctor Frankenstein and Frankenstein the monster, because it's a dichotomy, and the contradiction of one [and] the same being. But, I don't know if that's going to be the case or not. As far as I know, it's not happening... Maybe somebody else is doing it, and some other actor, but the only one that I will recall that could do Frankenstein is Josh Brolin. He has the same size head as me... With some screws in our forehead, it could work.”
Mary's Monster doesn't yet have a set release date.