Guillermo del Toro’s highly anticipated adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein was given a theatrical release date of October 17 just this past week, along with two beautiful posters depicting Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac) and his creation (Jacob Elordi). Following a three-week theatrical engagement, the movie will debut on Netflix’s streaming platform on November 7. As with most high-profile releases from Netflix, much of the conversation surrounding Frankenstein has centered on the fact that the movie will likely be viewed on a television screen by most audiences, rather than in a movie theater. Even one of the stars of the movie has now commented on the state of the industry and expressed his hope that people will get to experience the movie.
In an interview for Variety, Jacob Elordi talked about how he feels about the limited theatrical engagement three weeks before a global streaming release, and the actor said, “It’s heartbreaking that films like these don’t have full cinematic releases. My great hope is that we get this film in cinemas for as long as possible. And then, hopefully, that can set a precedent for more films out there.” Elordi was not the only actor to voice his concerns about the lack of theatrical output from streaming services, as Daniel Craig also stated that he hopes Netflix will give a bigger theatrical push for the next film in the Knives Out series.
Guillermo del Toro’s latest film, Pinocchio, was also distributed by Netflix and received a three-week theatrical release before being made available on the streaming platform. The domestic box office for the film remains unreported. Despite receiving the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature at the Oscars that year, it appears that a large audience did not experience the movie on the big screen. While del Toro may have been given the production budget to create an immersive cinematic experience, it feels as if it was for naught if viewers ultimately end up watching on their television screens.
The Stars of ‘Frankenstein’ Want the Movie To Be a “Communal” Experience
Netflix
Oscar Isaac, who plays Victor Frankenstein, sees the three-week release period in theaters as substantial, saying, “it is gonna go to the theater for a while. I think people will get to see it on the big screen as much as they can. It is such a marvel. It’d be nice to have a communal experience, so yeah, seeing it in a theater would be ideal.” Unsurprisingly, both the stars of the ambitious adaptation see the big-screen release of Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein as the best way to experience the story.
Frankenstein has been a passion project for del Toro for quite some time, with the movie first set to be produced at Universal almost 20 years ago. The number of unrealized projects in del Toro’s filmography is astounding, but now the filmmaker is finally going to be able to tell one of the stories that has inspired him the most as a creative. Hopefully, Frankenstein will end up being a resounding box-office success, which could potentially lead to a longer stay in theaters, creating the communal experience Elordi and Isaac discussed.
Release Date
September 4, 2025
Runtime
149 Minutes
Producers
J. Miles Dale
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