The eagerly awaited film Guillermo del Toro Frankenstein is set to premiere in select theaters on October 17, 2025, before its Netflix release on November 7. Fans have been given a glimpse of the movie’s unique portrayal of the Monster through a newly unveiled official poster featuring Jacob Elordi in the lead role, showcasing a design that draws heavily from Mary Shelley’s original novel.
A Fresh Look at Frankenstein’s Monster
This recently released poster provides the clearest visual yet of Jacob Elordi as Frankenstein’s Monster, revealing a creature design that moves away from the classic 1931 film version. Instead, it embraces the gothic and emotional depth found in Shelley’s text, signaling a more faithful and nuanced approach to the character’s appearance. Netflix is scheduled to release the final trailer on October 1, heightening anticipation for the film’s debut.
Notable Cast and Story Premise
The film stars Oscar Isaac as the ambitious and egotistical scientist Victor Frankenstein, who defies nature by creating life in an unsettling experiment. Mia Goth portrays Elizabeth Lavenza, while Christoph Waltz appears as the enigmatic Dr. Pretorius. Together, they navigate the dark consequences that unfold as Frankenstein’s creation turns into both a personal and monstrous tragedy.
The film follows brilliant but egotistical scientist Victor Frankenstein, who brings a creature to life in a monstrous experiment that ultimately leads to the undoing of both the creator and his tragic creation.
— Film Synopsis
Critical Acclaim for Jacob Elordi’s Performance
Meagan Navarro of Bloody Disgusting praised Elordi’s portrayal, highlighting the empathy he brings to the Creature, which has often been depicted as cold or monstrous. Navarro describes his performance as “career-defining,” transformed by intricate prosthetics and a creature design echoing del Toro’s earlier works like Cronos and Blade II. This interpretation reimagines Frankenstein not only as a horror story but as a deeply affecting gothic opera.
It’s the abundance of empathy that both del Toro and Elordi’s soulful performance extends the Creature that breathes life into Frankenstein. Elordi, buried under nearly unrecognizable prosthetics and a creature design reminiscent of the marbled vampires from del Toro’s Cronos or Blade II, turns in a career-defining performance that transforms Frankenstein from a dour, drawn-out retelling to a deeply affecting gothic opera.
— Meagan Navarro, Film Critic
Navarro further explains that the Creature’s inherent tragedy is more deeply felt in this adaptation, largely due to the emotional expression Elordi conveys, particularly through his eyes. The film also modifies some of the Creature’s darker narrative elements to enhance audience empathy and connection with the character.
The Creature has always been pitiable and tragic, but that only grows more pronounced to a deeply poignant degree through Elordi’s portrayal, much of it conveyed through the depth of emotion in his eyes,
— Meagan Navarro, Film Critic
Also helping ensure that the Creature emerges as the film’s ultimate figure of empathy is del Toro’s choice to trim out some of the Creature’s thornier story beats and mistakes.
— Meagan Navarro, Film Critic
Significance and Expectations Ahead
Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein promises to bring a fresh perspective to a classic tale, combining faithful literary inspiration with powerful performances and rich visuals that emphasize emotional depth. The film’s thoughtful reinterpretation is expected to resonate with both longtime fans of Mary Shelley’s work and new audiences, potentially redefining the Monster’s role in cinematic history. With the final trailer imminent, anticipation continues to build for this unique gothic drama.
