Frankenstein is one of the most revered and famous horror stories of the last several centuries. The original story by Mary Shelley was first published over 200 years ago in 1818, and in the last 100 years, the character of Frankenstein’s Monster has become a staple of horror cinema. While Frankenstein was first put to film in the form of a short film by J. Searle Dawley in 1910, the most famous iteration of the story wouldn’t hit screens until 1931. That film, directed by James Whale, starred Boris Karloff as the central monster with Colin Clive as Dr. Frankenstein himself. It was the second film in what would become the iconic Universal Monsters franchise, with the first film, Dracula, having been released earlier that year.

Since then, there have been countless iterations of Frankenstein and his monster on screen. Karloff played the monster in three films, and the character has also been featured in big screen outings ranging from the Kenneth Branagh-directed Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein to 1987’s The Monster Squad, 2004’s Van Helsing, 2014’s I, Frankenstein, and many different childrens’ animated films such as 2008’s Igor and the Hotel Transylvania series. Despite all of these adaptations, it has been a while since there was a truly great and proper adaptation of Frankenstein. Thankfully, that will be changing soon, as director Guillermo del Toro's own live-action adaptation of Frankenstein will surely be expertly told with his unique and ire visual style.

Updated on October 17, 2023: In honor of Halloween and recent developments of Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein, this article has been updated by Adam Ghelerter with even more reasons why fans should be excited about this horror remake.

History with Horror

Del Toro is a multi-faceted director who has proven time and time again that he is able to tackle all sorts of different tones, genres, and stories. With that said, he has always shined especially bright when working within the horror genre. He has produced some of the most iconic horror or horror-inspired films of the last few decades. Guillermo del Toror's directorial debut Cronos, 1993, wasn't a blockbuster, but it was in many ways a great film, and it was easy to pick out the early reminiscent of his unique style and passion for horror. He slowly started finding and refining his voice and style with Mimic, The Devil's Backbone, and Blade II.

The culmination of all del Toror's trials and tribulations directing four feature films resulted in the fantastically unique and ire superhero film laced with horror elements Hellyboy. Whereas Hellboy was a more commercial film with elements of horror, he followed it up with what many would consider his best film, Pan’s Labyrinth. Pan’s Labyrinth is the best example of his unique style, as the film’s imposing atmosphere and phenomenal practical effects help to craft a truly unique and memorable experience. Beyond that, his work on the Hellboy films and Crimson Peak also serves to establish del Toro as the modern-day master of horror. Just recently, he even created his own horror anthology series for Netflix, Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities, which was hailed as some of the best horror material of last year.

On top of that, del Toro’s love of practical effects and makeup in his films makes him a perfect fit for Frankenstein. Nearly all of his films have some sort of strange creatures brought to life practically. Even when he strays away from horror, like with his Best Picture-winning romance The Shape of Water, he typically centers on odd creatures and designs like the strange fish-man played by Doug Jones. If there’s anyone out there who can convincingly bring Frankenstein’s Monster to the big screen in a new and memorable way that is also faithful to Shelley’s source material, it’s del Toro.

Passion for the Story

Another major factor working in favor of del Toro’s Frankenstein adaptation is the passion that the director has for the story. Del Toro has talked publicly about his love for Frankenstein on a number of occasions. Back at San Diego Comic-Con in 2010, the director stated that Mary Shelley’s story was his favorite novel in the world before talking at length about how affected he has been by Shelley’s depiction of fear, love, and spiritualism in the book. The first word that del Toro was working on an adaptation of Frankenstein came a few years prior to that when he was developing a four-part television series based on the novel, which unfortunately never came to fruition.

Del Toro never gave up on Frankenstein, though. He has continued to talk about the story and how much he would love to take a swing at it over the last decade. When talking with Collider in 2014, del Toro revealed that Universal had approached him several times in an attempt to get him to take on a Frankenstein adaptation for their Dark Universe franchise. However, the director (who was in the midst of production on Crimson Peak, producing Pacific Rim: Uprising, and developing several other projects) explained that he was simply too busy to jump into it at that point in time and that he would only want to do it when he had the time to really commit to it. He said, “It’s like the dream project, so I’m a little, I’m a chicken shit, you know? When I do it, I need to do it. Like, if I do Frankenstein, I literally would stop everything, and I’m going to a sabbatical of three years, just to write that.”

Differentiating from the Past

Now that del Toro is finally moving forward with Frankenstein at Netflix, it seems that he’s found the time to dedicate to bringing Shelley’s horror epic to the screen with all the respect, glory, and detail it deserves. One major question that is worth being raised is how del Toro’s Frankenstein will differentiate from the infinite other versions that audiences have seen already. While no firm details about his approach to the story have been revealed – we’re not even sure if it’ll be a period piece or set in the modern day – it can be assumed that del Toro’s version will firmly stand on its own. The basis for that assumption comes simply from looking at his history of adapting works.

Whenever del Toro adapts a story to the screen, he always finds a way to twist it in new ways that differentiate it from anything else while still keeping the core and heart of the story intact. The most recent example of this is Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, the stop-motion animated adaptation of Pinocchio that he made with Netflix. That version of Pinocchio is starkly different in tone, scale, and general approach than any other take on the talking puppet that preceded it. It was thoroughly a del Toro take on the story, but it still kept the overall effect and message of the original story. The same is true of his remake of Nightmare Alley from 2021 and both of his Hellboy films. Because of this, whatever contorted shape del Toro’s Frankenstein ends up taking, it’s certain to provide an experience that is unlike any other version of the tragic horror tale that has been seen before.

Exciting Cast

Guillermo del Toro's adaptation of Frankenstein has generated a great deal of buzz as its A-list ensemble grows larger. The star-studded cast includes Oscar Isaac, Mia Goth, Andrew Garfield, and the renowned Academy Award winner Christoph Waltz. Waltz, celebrated for his iconic portrayals, including the infamous Nazi Hans Landa in Inglourious Basterds, recently teamed up with Guillermo del Toro in del Toror's unique, touching and beautifully bizarre adaption of Pinocchio, where Waltz voiced Count Volpe. While the cast's specific roles for del Toror's Frankenstein adaptation are still under wraps, Waltz's joining this outstanding cast brings an extra dose of excitement and anticipation for what will surely be a modern-day classic.

Del Toro Is One of the Most Exciting Visionary Voices Working Today

Guillermo del Toro is undoubtedly one of the most unique and accomplished directors of all time. He always finds a way to bring to light, powerful humanistic stories that shine a light on those who don't fit in, the black sheep whom society treats differently. He is exceptionally versatile in his storytelling as he has a mastery of the macabre, blending genre conventions and lacing his films with cultural references. He presents his mastery of telling empathetic, compelling stories with his remarkable surreal, atmospheric, and almost gothic visual style. It is refreshing to see a high-profile filmmaker be allowed to bring their unique vision to an iconic property and helps keep it alive by doing something new instead of repeating the same old formula over and over again.

Unfortunately, there is no trailer for Guillermo del Toro's live-action adaptation of Frankenstein, and there probably won't be one soon. Filming is planned to start in early 2024, but that is if the SAG-AFTRA Strike resolves in time. Currently, it is speculated the release date will be late 2025. Until then, if one loves visceral character-driven narratives and creepy things that go bump in the night, watch any of his notable films from his incredible filmography, and one will have a clear vision of just how special Guillermo del Toro's adaptation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein will be.