The monster at the heart of Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein is a mash-up of inspirations, much like the monster itself. The most well-known and original Frankenstein is Boris Karloff. One such artist is Bernie Wrightson, whose depictions of the character had a significant influence on del Toro. Bernie Wrightson’s 1983 illustrated edition of Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. Of course, there is Mary Shelley, whose book the movie is based on. Next are makeup artist Mike Hill and the actor wearing it, Jacob Elordi, who appears above in the character’s first official photo.
In May, an evocative two-minute, 23-second teaser was made public, in which Isaac narrates “the memory of my evils” as Victor Frankenstein is shown looting tombs and desecration of corpses to create his creation. The scientist intones, “I created death in my search for life.” We see the cloaked creature at the end of the trailer, tearing through a gang of vigilantes while yelling, “Victor!”
Watch the teaser below:
“What attracted me to [Elordi] was his gangliness and his wrists. It was this looseness,” Hill told Vanity Fair. “Then he has these real somber moments where he watches you really deftly, and his eyelids are low, with the long lashes like Karloff. I was like, ‘I don’t know who else you could get with a physicality like this.’ His demeanor is innocent, but it’s encompassed in a six-foot-five frame. He could really do a lot of damage if this man really wanted to be a bad guy.”
Despite having a different appearance from previous Frankensteins, this one is said to be “kintsugi-like.” That gives you a general notion of what to expect and is the art of using gold to mend pottery. The Vanity Fair article states that when the creature is completely uncovered, it looks like an ancient marble statue that has been broken and then put back together.
That’s the tangible. Elordi spread Wrightson’s artwork across his apartment and binge-watched all of Karloff’s films for the performance (Issac did the same in his trailer). “I turned it into this shrine to all things that I felt pertained to the creature,” Elordi told the magazine. “Bernie’s pictures were all over the walls. Maybe when you’re asleep, or just by walking around it all, you end up soaking it in.”
Because Andrew Garfield, who was originally cast as the monster, had to withdraw just weeks before production began, he had to complete this task very quickly. The production found someone even more terrifying in Elordi, who is several inches taller than Garfield, but it was still a blow. Andrew Garfield exited, and Jacob entered. Andrew Garfield stepping out and Jacob coming in. I mean, it was like Jacob is the most perfect actor for the creature,” del Toro said. “And we have a supernaturally good connection. It’s like, very few words. Very few things I have to say, and he does it.”
Visit Vanity Fair for a wealth of additional information about Frankenstein, including storyline and character pointers. Additionally, there are a ton of brand-new, stunning images there. In November, the movie will be available on Netflix.
About Frankenstein (2025)
Official synopsis: “A brilliant but obsessed scientist creates a living being from assembled body parts, challenging the laws of nature. The creature, intelligent yet misunderstood, embarks on a powerful journey exploring what it means to be human. Years later, a mysterious new figure seeks to revive the legacy of Frankenstein’s work—igniting a deeper conflict between creator, creation, and conscience.”
Directed by Guillermo del Toro
Frankenstein (2025) stars Oscar Isaac, Mia Goth, Ralph Ineson, and Jacob Elordi
“Frankenstein 2025” is scheduled for release November 01, 2025 (United States)
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(Via Vanity Fair)
