Frankenstein
Frankenstein Frankenstein/Netflix Official Website

Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein (2025)premiered at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, earning a 13-minute standing ovation. The Netflix-backed film, set for a limited theatrical release before streaming globally, quickly emerged as a Golden Lion contender.

Festival-goers praised its ambition and spectacle, while the red carpet drew star cast members Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, Christoph Waltz, Felix Kammerer and Charles Dance, cementing it as one of Venice's most talked-about premieres.

Guillermo del Toro's Vision

Del Toro has long been associated with dark fantasy and gothic cinema, and his adaptation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein stays true to that reputation while offering a different interpretation of the classic tale. The director presents the Creature not as a figure of terror, but as a sensitive and emotional being.

Jacob Elordi plays the Creature, portrayed as vulnerable and affectionate, while Oscar Isaac's Victor Frankenstein embodies unchecked ambition and arrogance, positioning the scientist as the true monster of the narrative.

Speaking at the festival, del Toro clarified that his film is not an allegory about artificial intelligence, stressing that its themes are firmly anchored in Shelley's exploration of humanity and love, as reported by the BBC.

Visual Craft and Production Quality

One of the most striking aspects of Frankenstein (2025) is its visual execution. Cinematographer Dan Laustsen, a frequent collaborator of del Toro, has crafted a gothic aesthetic that heightens the film's atmosphere.

Alexandre Desplat's score adds further weight to the production, weaving lyrical compositions through the film's most dramatic moments.

The production leaned heavily on practical effects and elaborate set design, underscoring del Toro's commitment to authenticity.

Jacob Elordi underwent up to 10 hours of make-up daily to transform into the Creature, a process he described as both challenging and transformative. The result is a film that critics universally agree delivers on visual splendour, even when divided on other aspects.

Metacritic Scores and Critical Divide

On Metacritic, Frankenstein (2025) holds a score of 73 out of 100 from 15 reviews, categorised as 'generally favourable'. About 67% are positive and 33% mixed, with no negatives.

Praise centres on its emotional depth, visual grandeur and thematic ambition, while criticism calls it campy or messy, with Jacob Elordi's Creature seen by some as lacking menace.

This divide has fuelled online debate over whether spectacle outweighs storytelling.

Release Strategy and Wider Context

Netflix has confirmed a staggered release strategy for the film. Frankenstein (2025) will first open in select cinemas on 17 October 2025, before becoming available to stream globally on 7 November 2025. This approach mirrors previous Netflix awards-season contenders, designed to generate theatrical buzz before a wide streaming launch.

The film's premiere also coincided with Frankenstein Day on 30 August, Mary Shelley's birthday. The date provided timely context for revisiting the novel's legacy, with commentators noting the continued relevance of its themes of ambition, isolation and moral consequence.

Cast Spotlight: Jacob Elordi's Breakthrough Moment

For Jacob Elordi, the role of the Creature marks a pivotal moment in his career. The actor attended the Venice premiere amid heightened media attention, his first major appearance following his widely reported breakup with Olivia Jade.

Elordi spoke about his connection to the role, calling the Creature 'the purest form of myself', and credited the extensive make-up process for helping him embody the part fully.

His physical transformation and emotional approach to the role have placed him at the centre of much of the critical conversation, ensuring that his performance will be one of the most scrutinised elements of Frankenstein (2025) as it heads towards its wider release.

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