First Look at Classic Monster Movie Retelling Reveals Christian Bale's Version of Frankenstein's Monster
Given Hollywood’s insistence on eschewing originality for the sake of franchises, sequels and remakes, it should come as little surprise that some classic Hollywood monsters are getting another crack at the limelight.
While some of those monsters, like Godzilla and King Kong, have made the most of that new spotlight, others (anyone else remember Tom Cruise’s stab at “The Mummy”? Me neither) have been consigned to the ash heap of Hollywood’s creative bankruptcy.
“The Bride” — not to be confused with a 1985 sci-fi/horror movie of the same name — is a modern attempt to do justice for a monster whose lineage can be traced back to a seminal 1818 Mary Shelley novel: “Frankenstein.”
The relevant version of “The Bride,” which would be the one coming out in 2025, is shaping up to be a star-studded, oddball homage to Shelley’s classic.
(Fun fact: On IMDb’s page for “The Bride,” Shelley is listed as a writer of the movie.)
The film is written and directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal and stars her “The Dark Knight” cast mate Christian Bale as Frankenstein’s monster, and Jessie Buckley as the eponymous “bride.” Penélope Cruz & Peter Sarsgaard are also slated to be in the film, according to Deadline.
The film, which was long rumored but not confirmed until late March, now has its first update from Gyllenhaal.
On her Instagram, Gyllenhaal posted a trio of pictures depicting a clapperboard for “The Bride,” a first look at Buckley’s “Bride,” and Bale’s curious take on Frankenstein’s monster.
View this post on Instagram
The Bale image, in particular, drew swift opinions on social media and taking one look at it, it’s easy to see why.
On the one hand, Bale has those classic Frankenstein sutures and looks grotesque-ish, based on the scarring and wrinkles. Those are things you’d expect with any adaptation of Frankenstein’s monster.
(The black and white photo makes it difficult to discern if Bale will also sport the monster’s trademark greenish-hued skin.)
But those classic elements make the one modernized addition stick out all the more.
And that’s a tattoo that seems to show the word “hope.”
Fans looking for entertainment first and social justice messaging later may want to approach this film with mild trepidation, at least based on the very last phrase of IMDb’s movie synopsis.
“In 1930s Chicago, Frankenstein asks Dr. Euphronius to help create a companion,” the site’s synopsis reads. “They give life to a murdered woman as the Bride, sparking romance, police interest, and radical social change.”
“Radical social change” is a potentially wildly loaded term that could doom the movie’s chances before production even wraps up.
“The Bride” is set to release on Oct. 3, 2025.
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