Man or monster? Nature or nurture? Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein sought to explore these themes, and Guillermo del Toro, the filmmaker behind The Shape of Water and Pan’s Labyrinth, looks to honour its literary roots in his upcoming passion project, with the first trailer showcasing a closer look at the man-made creature himself and a whole load of Gothic elements.
Unlike the teaser trailer, which followed Victor Frankenstein’s point of view, this latest clip features the resurrected monster as the central figure. “If you are not to award me love, then I will indulge in rage,” he says, amid scenes that chart his birth during a lightning storm, his subsequent interaction with Mia Goth’s Elizabeth Lavenza, Victor’s bride-to-be, and an eventual showdown against his creator. Various set pieces can also be glimpsed, from a lavish ballroom party to a harboured ship in a frozen ocean.
Oscar Isaac (Star Wars sequel trilogy) leads the cast as Victor, with Jacob Elordi (Euphoria) stepping into the role of the man-made creature. Other notable names include Felix Kammerer (All Quiet on the Western Front), Lars Mikkelsen (The Witcher), David Bradley (Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio), Christian Convery (Sweet Tooth), Charles Dance (Game of Thrones), and Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds). Del Toro directed from his own script and serves as producer alongside Scott Stuber and longtime collaborator J. Miles Dale.
While the upcoming film isn’t the first to feature a speaking Frankenstein (not the scientist), it looks to breathe new life into his portrayal and humanise him in its own way. “The usual discourse of Frankenstein has to do with science gone awry. But for me, it’s about the human spirit. It’s not a cautionary tale: It’s about forgiveness, understanding and the importance of listening to each other,” said Del Toro in a previous interview with Variety.
The adaptation will have a limited theatrical run on October 17, before it arrives on Netflix on November 7. The original story was published in 1818, and has become a seminal work in the Gothic genre, elements of which were infused with those of the Romantic movement.
The synopsis of del Toro’s feature reads, “A brilliant but egotistical scientist brings a monstrous creature to life in a daring experiment that ultimately leads to the undoing of both the creator and his tragic creation.”
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
