by Brodie Erk

Audience interest in spooky films often increases during the fall months surrounding Halloween. For many viewers, watching these movies is a tradition and a fun way to connect with both the holiday spirit, as well as with family and friends. Watching a movie in theatres can improve the experience even more, with both mainstream, and even low budget features making huge profits during their theatrical run. As such, anticipated horror movies are set up for success this year, and one such example is Frankenstein by Guillermo del Toro. 

Frankenstein’s events revolve around Dr. Victor Frankenstein, who creates the famous monster by bringing a creature made of dead bodies to life, and then abandons it. Over the course of the story, the monster follows him in an attempt to get revenge, culminating in a tense confrontation in the arctic. The film is the newest in a long line of adaptations of the classic horror novel by Mary Shelly, but it will likely distinguish itself both through visuals and authenticity. It will run closer to the original novel in terms of themes and plot than most other adaptations have, with the director having said that, “the best moments in my mind of Frankenstein, of the novel, are yet to be filmed…” 

The film is a passion project for Oscar-winning director Guillermo Del Toro, who is quoted as saying, “Frankenstein to me is the pinnacle of everything, and part of me wants to do a version of it, part of me has for more than 25 years chickened out of making it.” It is his dream project, and he has stated before that he would have liked to make more than just one movie if he had the funding. Del Toro is famous for his skill, especially in designing monsters for his movies, including The Shape of Water and Pan’s Labyrinth. Many other Hollywood stars are involved in the movie as well, including the actors Oscar Isaac (as Dr. Frankenstein), Jacob Elordi (as The Creature), Mia Goth, and David Bradley. 

The theatrical run of the film will begin on October 17th, and will be added to Netflix on November 7th, giving plenty of time for viewers to see it at the cinema before it releases onto more accessible streaming services like Netflix. Critical reception of the film by early viewers has been good, with one reviewer writing that, “It entertains, it shocks, it horrifies…us, which is exactly what movies were designed to give us and so rarely do. It is complete and utter perfection.”

Sources:

FRANKENSTEIN (2025) – The Belcourt Theatre

Frankenstein | Official Website | October 17 2025

Del Toro’s ‘Frankenstein’ is bloody, beautiful and belabored – The Washington Post.Everything We Know About Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein – Famous Monsters.