New Frankenstein Movie Confirms Major Character Twist Absent From Guillermo Del Toro’s 2025 Adaptation

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An upcoming Frankenstein film from Hollywood will feature a key character detail that was missing from Guillermo del Toro’s highly anticipated 2026 movie.

Directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Bride! features Jessie Buckley as The Bride and Christian Bale as Frankenstein’s Monster, known as Frank. The film reimagines the 1935 movie Bride of Frankenstein, which was originally based on Mary Shelley’s famous novel. In this new story, Frank, who has been alone for a hundred years, searches for another scientist to build him a partner.

A recent article in Entertainment Weekly, including interviews with the director and cast, reveals that the film will honor a classic element of the Frankenstein’s Bride story. Actress Buckley has a unique challenge: she’ll play three roles – Ida, the woman who is killed; The Bride, who has no memory of her past; and even Mary Shelley, the author of the original novel.

In Bride of Frankenstein, Elsa Lanchester brilliantly plays two roles: Shelley, who introduces the story, and The Bride herself. The Bride is a mysterious character with no backstory, and she only appears briefly in the film before being destroyed along with The Monster. Entertainment Weekly recently shared some new, exclusive photos from The Bride! and behind the scenes on set – you can find them below.

More details about the upcoming Frankenstein movie starring Jake Gyllenhaal have been revealed. Christian Bale, who plays the Monster, chose the name “Frank” after his creator, Dr. Frankenstein. His companion, after being brought back to life, calls herself “The Bride.” Together, they embark on a series of crimes, with The Bride specifically targeting those who have harmed women, seeking revenge for what happened to her and others like her.

Annette Bening stars as Dr. Euphronious, the Chicago scientist responsible for creating The Bride. As Frank and The Bride flee, they’re pursued by a detective and his patient secretary, played by Peter Sarsgaard and Penélope Cruz. Meanwhile, the director’s brother, Jake Gyllenhaal, appears as Ronnie Reed, a famous actor who captures Frank’s attention during his time in seclusion.

Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, a major contender with nine Oscar nominations for 2026, is a faithful, if somewhat direct, retelling of Mary Shelley’s classic. I was a little disappointed they trimmed the Bride of Frankenstein storyline; Oscar Isaac’s Victor shuts down Jacob Elordi’s Monster’s plea for a companion pretty quickly. And sticking closely to the novel’s structure means we don’t see Mary Shelley herself appear as a character, which is a choice that keeps the focus squarely on the tragic tale.

Buckey explains the new movie’s plot centers around a powerful, violent system that consistently harms people—not just women—and avoids consequences. The main character, The Bride, is determined to expose this system and spark a revolution by holding them accountable for their crimes.

So, with The Bride! really digging into these big ideas, it makes total sense they’ve brought in the creator of Frankenstein herself, Mary Shelley. But, and this is according to Entertainment Weekly, her appearance seems pretty standard – she’s basically a ghostly voice offering guidance. It sounds like they’re positioning her as someone who gets the Bride, a fellow unconventional spirit, which isn’t exactly a surprise, but still feels right at home with the film’s themes.

The Bride! will release in theaters on March 6, 2026.

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2026-02-03 22:38