Frankenstein films are making a Hollywood comeback

Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" is making a big comeback in Hollywood more than 200 years after it was published. Two major films featuring the famed character are set to release soon. The first is directed by Guillermo del Toro and will be available on Netflix in November. It stars Mia Goth and Oscar Isaac. The second film, titled "The Bride," is directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal. It is inspired by "The Bride of Frankenstein" and features Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale. Warner Bros. will release it in theaters on March 6, 2026. Originally, it was planned for September 2025, but the studio moved it back to avoid competition with del Toro's film. This dual interest in Frankenstein films is not unusual in Hollywood. In the late 1980s, two films adapted the same book about sexual politics, and in the 1990s, two volcano movies came out around the same time. More recently, two films about Snow White were released in 2012. Interest in Frankenstein had been low in recent years. Earlier attempts, like “Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein” in 1994 and “Victor Frankenstein” in 2015, did not do well with audiences or critics. There was also a failed effort to create a shared universe of monster movies. Now, Netflix and Warner Bros. are hopeful that del Toro and Gyllenhaal can bring new life to the iconic story. Experts believe that while both films are based on the same source material, they will have their own unique styles.